The End is the Beginning
by Cassiopeia2
Summary: This story takes place after the end of the game, which you may have guessed from the title. Everyone tries to move on with their lives, but adventure seems to hound them. Focuses somewhat on Vincent. PG-13 for a little bit of swearing.
1. Default Chapter

The lifestream wound its way unerringly toward a central spot on the earth's surface, gathering, collecting in readiness to protect the planet from certain doom.  
Avalanche watched from the Highwind as the tendrils snaked along the ground from all directions like so many eels, all heading for Midgar. They writhed and danced, shedding a fluorescent glow so bright one had to squint to continue viewing. Once the last bit of lifestream was on its way, the tendrils began to ascend, climbing the meteor, covering it gradually, almost gently, as if wrapping a priceless treasure in a piece of incandescent cloth. Eventually, no part of the meteor was showing, its horrifying structure blanketed completely.  
  
The lifestream continued to envelop the meteor until no lifestream was left on the planet. The meteor had become a huge glowing ball in the sky over Midgar. And then the ball began to diminish. The lifestream was slowly closing in, eating away at the meteor until there was nothing left.  
  
Cid muttered an oath. Tifa's eyes were filled with tears.  
  
"Beautiful," Red XIII observed.  
  
The lifestream withdrew from Midgar and drifted back along the earth, each tendril returning to its place. Except for one. Once under the Highwind, it started winding upward. It hugged the side of the damaged ship and eventually made its way to the deck where it collected into a pile. Everyone backed away from it alarm. Vincent pulled the Death Penalty from its holster at his hip.  
  
The pile of glowing substance began to form, swirling upward until it stood somewhere over five feet tall. It then started to take shape, molding a head, a body, and then features. Before it had even finished sculpting, the form was recognizable.  
  
It was Aeris.  
  
Everyone stared at her in amazement.  
  
Aeris smiled tearfully, and then laughed, her cheeks becoming wet. "We did it!" she exclaimed, throwing her hands into the air.  
  
Cloud was the first to take a step toward her. "Aeris?" he whispered.  
  
She nodded, still grinning with tears running down her face. "The planet gave me my life back in payment for...for my sacrifice. It wants to thank all of you for what you did."  
  
Oblivious to her words, Cloud reached out a shaking hand. Aeris took it and squeezed his fingers. "I am real," she said softly.  
  
Cloud suddenly crumpled to the deck in front of her. The members of Avalanche all started forward. Aeris held up a restraining hand and knelt down beside him, running her hand through his hair gently. He was unconscious. She smiled and looked up at the others. Cid looked as if his eyes were about to bug out of his head. Tifa had one hand over her mouth as she trembled where she stood, attempting to hold back a flood of tears. Red XIII was gazing at her gently with his one eye. Cait Sith was leaning so far forward on his moogle that it looked as if he were ready to topple. Barret had his hand behind his neck, his brow furrowed. Yuffie was staring, for once at a loss for words. Vincent stood, his expression unreadable as always, his gun hanging loosely in his hand.  
  
"Vincent?"  
  
The man looked up from Cloud's still body to meet her eyes.  
  
"Will you take Cloud into the hold?"  
  
Vincent stared for a moment as if not understanding, but then started forward. He bent down to pick Cloud up, but then had to straighten to put his gun away. Aeris giggled. He crouched down again and glanced at her, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth as he realized that she had caught him, for once, flustered. He put his mechanical arm under Cloud's shoulders and his good arm behind their leader's knees, lifting him with ease. Aeris stood with him, smiling, and touched his shoulder. Vincent looked at her for a moment longer than necessary before turning and walking toward the hold.  
  
Aeris looked toward Cid. The man seemed to be looking through her.  
  
"Cid?"  
  
"Huh?" The pilot looked at her face, startled out of his reverie.  
  
"Cid, the ship is pretty badly damaged. You may want to land somewhere before it falls out of the sky on its own."  
  
Cid nodded slowly after a moment. "Y-yeah. Right." He turned to the controls, having now to fly the ship himself since dismissing the pilots in training. He had made the decision to stay with the mission when Cloud had asked them all to find a reason for fighting. His reason had been simple enough, though he hadn't allowed himself to acknowledge it for the longest time. He loved Shera. He wanted a family. And he wanted his unborn children to have a promising future. The pilots had gone back to Rocket Town, wishing Cid good luck in defeating Sephiroth. Cid almost killed the engine trying to start the ship's motor when it was already running. He swore, remembering they were already in the air, and began piloting.  
  
Aeris looked from Cid to see Tifa and Barret approaching her hesitantly, Yuffie and Cait Sith not far behind. She smiled and drew nearer to them.  
  
"How...?" Tifa began, but then had to stop, her voice choked with unshed tears.  
  
Aeris pulled her friend into a hug. Tifa began to sob. "How can you...be here?" she asked haltingly.  
  
Aeris withdrew. "The lifestream brought me back to life," she explained again. "It wanted to give me something in return for my help."  
  
"But, but your body..." Yuffie began, stepping up beside Barret. "We saw Cloud put your body...I mean, under the water where...in the City of the Ancients..."  
  
Aeris nodded. "The lifestream knew where it was."  
  
Yuffie's face contorted strangely and it took a moment for the other's to realize that she was about to cry. Before the tears began to flow, though, she ducked forward and, after hugging Aeris fiercely, ran through the doors to the hold, nearly knocking Vincent off of his feet. Vincent watched her curiously for a moment before turning and approaching Aeris.  
  
Out of the corner of her eye, Aeris saw Red XIII padding up beside Tifa. She couldn't stop smiling. They were all here. Tears came to her eyes and she let them run their course unhindered. "You have no idea how good it is to be back, with all of you," she managed to say.  
  
Tifa giggled happily through her own tears and hugged her again. Aeris crouched and put her arms around Red XIII. He gave a rumbling chuckle and purred in her ear. Aeris picked Cait Sith up from his moogle and kissed his nose. Once back on his stuffed mog, Cait Sith looked away in embarrassment.  
  
"Aw, gosh," he muttered.  
  
Barret gave a lopsided grin and pulled the girl into a crushing embrace. Once recovered, Aeris turned to Vincent. He looked at her stoically and then glanced at the others.  
  
"Oh, c'mon Vince!" Barret boomed. "It won't kill ya to give her a hug."  
  
Vincent seemed to heave a silent sigh before opening his arms to accept her. She stepped forward, grinning, and wrapped her arms around his thin torso. After an awkward moment, he put his own arms around her, returning the embrace.  
  
Aeris stepped back and looked at all of them. She wanted to laugh, to cry, to shout, to dance, to sing. She was alive, she was back! She was with those people she cared about the most. The world was safe. She didn't think she could be happier.  
  
Cid suddenly cleared his throat. Everyone looked at him. He didn't look back, but continued to fly the ship. "Uh, are we going any place specific or d'ya want me just to land her now? Cause, if I land her, there's no chance in the high heavens of getting her back in the air again."  
  
Red XIII was the first to speak. "Take us to Cosmo Canyon. I would be honored if you would all be my guests for the night." He turned to look at them, and then his eyes stopped on Aeris. "Besides, I think I would like to be with all of you for one evening as friends, not as comrades in war, before we all go our separate ways."  
  
Aeris nodded and saw Tifa doing the same. She definitely wanted the chance to see all of her friends before the group was split up, perhaps forever. She hadn't really thought that this would come to an end, but of course some of them had lives to go back to, some had new lives to start. They couldn't just fly around the world together indefinitely.  
  
"Cosmo Canyon it is," Cid said over the rush of the wind.  
  
  
  
It was creeping toward late afternoon by the time Cid landed the ship outside of Cosmo Canyon. As Cid had feared, the motor died with a horrible sound as he turned it off. When he tried to start the Highwind up again, it sputtered unencouragingly before breathing its last. Cid sighed deeply and patted the control panel.  
  
"She was a good ship," he said, closing his eyes in the spirit of the eulogy.  
  
"Trustworthy," Red XIII added.  
  
"Saw our asses through a whole lot," Barret muttered.  
  
"Well, we'd better get going," Cloud observed, by now recovered from his fainting spell.  
  
"Just gimme a damn minute!" Cid snapped.  
  
"Can't you fix it?" Tifa asked.  
  
Cid shrugged. "Maybe, but I'd need a crew, and my tools."  
  
"You could stay at Cosmo Canyon until finished with the repairs," Red offered. "My home is open to any of you who ever wish to visit."  
  
A half-smile brightened Cid's face, returning it somewhat to its usual cockiness. "Maybe I'll take you up on that," he replied.  
  
Red nodded. "We'll ready things for you."  
  
Thankfully, the rope ladder was still mostly intact after the escape from the Northern Crater. Cloud descended first, followed by Tifa, and then Aeris. Cid went next. Barret stood on the deck, staring at the ladder morosely.  
  
"What's wrong?" Vincent asked him.  
  
"I hate climbin' up an' down this stupid thing!" Barret complained.  
  
"Aw, c'mon Barret," Yuffie said cheerfully. "It's not that hard. Watch me!" With that, the ninja girl nimbly scaled the ladder.  
  
Barret swore and looked at Vincent. "You wanna go first?" he asked.  
  
"I have my own way," Vincent intoned, vaulting himself up and over the railing. Barret watched in shock as the man dropped down, hair and cloak fluttering, to land, unharmed, in a crouched position on the ground. "Show-off," he muttered under his breath, looking at Red XIII and Cait Sith.  
  
"To quote Vincent, 'I have my own way'," Red answered, clearing the railing with an impressive jump and landing smoothly on his feet at the bottom.  
  
Cait Sith put his megaphone to his lips and counted off, "One, two, three, GO!!" The moogle shot forward and bounced into the air. It landed on the ground with barely a sound.  
  
Barret cursed again and, after a moment, hesitantly climbed over the railing onto the ladder. He descended slowly, having only one hand with which to hold onto the rope rung above him as he stepped down, one rung at a time.  
  
By the time he had reached the bottom, all of the others had already entered Cosmo Canyon. He cursed once again, but caught himself. If he was going home to Marlene tomorrow he would have to clean up his language.  
  
Unlike many other towns, Cosmo Canyon came to life in the evening. People gathered around the Eternal Flame to hear stories; some toured the shops, or stopped in at the cafe for a drink and socializing; some found a cozy place to sit and watch the magnificent sunset. Barret could hear a story just starting up near the fire and would've enjoyed nothing more than to sit on the outskirts of the crowd and listen, but he was hungry and he could smell the Cosmo Canyon cuisine. It made his stomach grumble loudly.  
  
He entered the caves and was directed to the dining area by a man he recognized from their first visit. With a gruff acknowledgment, he walked into the room.  
  
The first thing he noticed was the overpowering scent of food. A veritable smorgasbord lay on the woven mat that served as a table, and the others were already helping themselves. Grabbing a plate, he dropped to his knees and began piling his plate high with food.  
  
"Hey!" Yuffie protested from where she sat against the wall, her mouth full. "Leave some seconds for the rest of us!"  
  
Barret ignored her and continued until he was satisfied. He then stood and looked around for a place to sit. In one corner, Red sat with Cloud, talking in quiet tones, their plates barely touched in their laps. In the corner diagonal from Cloud and Red sat Aeris and Tifa. They seemed to be talking seriously, every once in a while picking a tidbit from their plate. Aeris suddenly let out a muffled giggle and the two huddled closer. Against one wall sat Vincent, Cid, and Cait Sith. Barret stepped over to them and sat down.  
  
"Hey," he said, picking up a piece of sweet-smelling fresh bread lathered in butter and stuffing it into his mouth.  
  
"Hey yourself," Cid replied, licking some sauce from his fingers, his gloves in his lap. His plate was already half empty.  
  
Vincent nodded a greeting, just finishing up what was on his plate. In a moment, he was up and getting some more. His plate matched Barret's by the time he turned to sit back down. Cid stared as Vincent began to eat with vigor.  
  
"You'll give yourself horrible indigestion that way," Cait Sith observed, himself refraining from eating for obvious reasons.  
  
Vincent shrugged and didn't slow his pace.  
  
Barret cleared his throat and continued eating. "So," he began finally, "where're you guys goin' tomorrow?"  
  
"Home," Cid answered. "Back to Rocket Town, I guess. And then back here to fix the Highwind."  
  
"I'll probably go back to the Gold Saucer," Cait said. "Maybe start up my fortune telling business again."  
  
Barret looked at Vincent, still surprised by the speed with which the man was eating. "What 'bout you, Vince?"  
  
Vincent looked up and finished what was in his mouth, running his one hand over his mouth discreetly. "To Lucrecia's cave," he replied. "I have to tell her the truth about Sephiroth."  
  
"What about you, Barret?" Cid asked, chewing. "Where're you going?"  
  
Barret shrugged a little. "To get Marlene. Then, I guess, back to Midgar."  
  
"Going to start up in another sector?" Cait asked.  
  
Barret shrugged again. "Dunno. Or maybe I'll go to North Corel, make things right. Lots of memories in Midgar." He said this last part quietly, as if to himself.  
  
Cid nodded. "Sounds good."  
  
Vincent finished the last bit of food on his plate and breathed deeply. And then he stood and went to get some more.  
  
Barret watched him incredulously. "How can such a skinny man eat so damn much?" he wondered.  
  
Cid shook his head helplessly. Cait Sith chuckled.  
  
Red XIII scooped the last bite from his plate with his tongue and got to his feet. Giving an acknowledging nod to everyone in the room, he left.  
  
"Where's he goin'?" Barret asked to no one in particular as Vincent sat back down next to him, his plate piled high again.  
  
Cloud approached from his corner and sat beside Barret. "Red said we'll understand in a while. For right now, we can go wherever we please, as long as we meet at the Eternal Flame once the sun sets."  
  
Aeris and Tifa stood from their corner and came to sit in front of the others, by now finished their meals. Yuffie followed and sat between Aeris and Cait.  
  
"So, what's happening?" Yuffie asked.  
  
"What do you mean 'What's happening?'" Cait asked. "We're all sitting around Cosmo Canyon staring at each other."  
  
Yuffie punched the moogle, almost sending the small cat to the floor. "Shut-up!" she shouted. "I mean, 'What's up?' What's everyone been talking about? I always seem to get left out of things."  
  
Aeris suddenly started laughing behind a hand. Everyone turned to look at her. "What is it?" Tifa asked, starting to laugh herself.  
  
Aeris sighed, wiping tears from her eyes. "I'd forgotten how much I missed this, being with all of you. I even missed Cait's meaningless remarks and Yuffie's whining."  
  
"Hey!" Yuffie and Cait objected together.  
  
Barret rolled his eyes.  
  
"I'm going to see my mother tomorrow," Aeris started. "Barret, you said she took Marlene to Kalm?"  
  
Barret looked at Aeris and nodded. "I'll come wit' ya, Aeris," he said.  
  
"So will I." Tifa ran a hand absently through her bangs. "I think I want to start up another Seventh Heaven." She turned to look at Cloud. "What about you?"  
  
Cloud shrugged. "I guess I'll come with you guys. I have no home now. Kalm seems as good a place as any to settle down in." To be forgotten in...  
  
It wasn't said, but Barret could hear the implication louder than any spoken word. Sure, maybe at one point along the journey he had hoped to be recognized for what he was doing, but once he had found his true motive for this mission, Marlene, recognition made no difference. And now, he was almost afraid of it. He just wanted to get on with his life, as if nothing had happened. Looking around at the faces of his friends, he guessed that they all wanted the same thing. Except for Vincent. His expression was unreadable as he cleaned off his third plate of food. Finishing the last bite, he leaned his head back and sighed. Everyone looked at him. He glanced around at them.  
  
"Yes?" he asked after a moment.  
  
Cid threw a hand up in the air and began to pull a cigarette from the package he had tucked into his goggles. "You got a hollow leg? Where'd you put all of that?"  
  
Vincent raised an eyebrow. "Turning into Chaos during the battle with Sephiroth took a lot out of me," he admitted. "I was hungry."  
  
"I'll say," Yuffie muttered, looking longingly at the almost empty dishes of food left on the mat. "I didn't get thirds."  
  
Barret felt like throwing something at the girl, but there was nothing suitable nearby. "Stop yer whinin'!" he exclaimed instead.  
  
"Yeah," Tifa added. "Your father will probably have a big feast in your honor when you return."  
  
Yuffie's eyes widened. "Hey, you're right! I'm coming back from saving the world! The celebration should last for weeks!"  
  
Barret shook his head. Well, most of them didn't want recognition.  
  
"Oh, and, um, speaking of going home..." Yuffie suddenly found her hands terribly interesting. "I was wondering if, uh, I could have everyone's materia to take back to Wutai," she mumbled into her lap.  
  
Barret gave a short bark of laughter. "Yeah, in yer dreams, girl!"  
  
Yuffie's eyes narrowed. "Shut-up! I've had to put up with all of you guys this whole trip! I should get something in return!"  
  
Barret's eyebrows shot up. Cid and Cait Sith burst into riotous laughter.  
  
Yuffie glared at all of them. "What is so funny?" she asked, scowling.  
  
Cid slapped a hand on his knee. "You've...heh, heh...had to put up with us. Ha, ha, ha! That's a good one!"  
  
Barret was having trouble keeping himself from joining in the laughter. He could see Cloud chuckling quietly while the two girls covered their mouths, attempting to straighten their grins. Even Vincent's lips were twitching.  
  
Yuffie jumped to her feet angrily. "None of you had better sleep tonight!" she yelled. "I'm going to rob you all blind when you least expect it!" With that, she stormed out of the room.  
  
After everyone had calmed down some, Tifa, wiping watery eyes, said, "Maybe one of us should go after her."  
  
"Nah, we should give her time to cool down," Cloud said. "I, for one, don't have a death wish. But everyone might want to hide their valuables before going to bed."  
  
The group of them decided to split up and wander around Cosmo Canyon until the sunset was finished. Tifa and Aeris said they had some shopping they wanted to do; Cait Sith was going to try to start up a game of cards with the locals; Cid wanted to check out the observatory; Cloud took off to find Buganhagan; Vincent left without saying where he was going.  
  
Barret stood and followed the others out, no clear destination in mind. He walked by the Eternal Flame, but no story telling was happening now. Curious, he watched the flickering flames, wondering what Red was planning for them tonight. It was probably some celebration in their honor, but Cosmo Canyon style. That meant it could be just about anything, and he didn't feel like trying to guess.  
  
He strolled around, popping in and out of shops, wandering the grounds, looking at the dwindling sunset. At one point he came upon Tifa and Aeris, but they shoved him out the door again, saying he couldn't see what they were buying. The next shop he entered was the materia shop. Not unexpectedly, he found Yuffie crouched down by the glass-encased materia, examining the shiny orbs in wonder.  
  
"Hey, Yuff," he said in greeting.  
  
Yuffie looked at him over her shoulder before scoffing and turning back to the materia. "You again," she said sulkily.  
  
"Yeah." Barret suddenly felt bad for snapping at Yuffie earlier. They had all just saved the planet together, and she had fought well against Sephiroth. He scratched the back of his head with his hand. "Um, Yuff, I'm sorry 'bout what I said to ya earlier. I mean, we'll probably never need to use magic again, God willin'. An' I'd be jus' as glad to get rid a the stuff." He ran a hand over his beard. "If no one's gotta problem wit' it, I'll let ya have my materia."  
  
Yuffie got slowly to her feet and turned around. She was grinning from ear to ear. "You really mean it, Barret?" she asked.  
  
Barret nodded. With a squeal of joy, Yuffie ran to him and threw her arms around his neck, planting a kiss on his cheek. "Thank you! Thank you! I take back half the nasty things I said to you."  
  
"Half?"  
  
Yuffie took a step back and put her hands on her hips. "My dignity is worth more than materia," she said. "Don't think for one second that you can buy me off that easy!"  
  
Barret chuckled, shaking his head. Same old Yuffie.  
  
"Ya know," she began, grinding one toe into the floor. "I always thought you hated me. All of you. I thought you only tolerated me because of my fighting abilities, which are impressive. I always felt like I was on the outside, as if I never really belonged in the group. It was like, all of you were friends, and I was just...there."  
  
"Nah." Barret waved a hand dismissively. "You were jus' a pain in the ass is all."  
  
Yuffie scowled and took a playful swing at him. He dodged and quickly ducked out of the shop. Yuffie ceased her pursuit at the door, shouting at him incoherently.  
  
As if avoiding oncoming enemy fire, Barret slipped into the shop nearest to him. Glancing around while he struggled to catch his breath, he saw that he was in the weapons shop. At the counter stood Vincent, his Death Penalty held slack in his metal hand. He pointed at a gun on the wall behind the store owner. The owner turned and retrieved it for him. Vincent thanked him and proceeded to flip the gun around his finger dizzyingly a few times before sheathing it in the holster at his hip.  
  
"Good weight," he commented absently, handing the weapon back and pointing at another. As the owner brought this one to him, Barret approached.  
  
"Whatcha doin', Vince?" Barret asked.  
  
Vincent didn't answer, but flipped the new gun in his hand around in much the same manner as the previous one, holstering it deftly.  
  
"Are you gonna buy another gun?"  
  
Vincent looked up, his red eyes glowing dully. "No," he answered simply. He looked the gun over in interest before handing it back to the man behind the counter. "I'm thinking."  
  
Barret frowned in confusion. The caped man always seemed to be thinking about something, his face permanently set in a brooding expression. But he rarely ever spoke his thoughts aloud to anyone. Nevertheless, Barret plunged ahead. "Whatcha thinkin' about?"  
  
Vincent looked up as if shocked that Barret had dared to venture into his privacy, but his face betrayed no emotion. "I am wondering what gift to buy for Lucrecia," he admitted finally, unholstering the gun and rubbing its cool surface with his thumb.  
  
It was Barret's turn to be shocked. Vincent did not strike him as the romantic type. But maybe that was why he was in a weapons shop looking for a gift for Lucrecia.  
  
"Well," Barret began, trying to recall how he had wooed his own wife, "women like flowers."  
  
Vincent shook his head, handing the gun back to the man and holstering the Death Penalty. "It has to be something special," he murmured.  
  
"How about jewelry?" suggested the store owner helpfully. "My wife loves wearing rings and necklaces."  
  
Vincent shrugged and walked to the door, leaning on the frame wearily. "The sunset is finished," he observed.  
  
Barret joined his friend at the door and peered out. As stated, the sun had finally dropped below the horizon, dark blues and purples tinting the darkening sky to the west. Glancing momentarily at the Eternal Flame, he could see that people had already started gathering.  
  
Vincent stepped out of the door and Barret followed at his heels. Yuffie rushed out of the materia shop as they passed by, waving a hand to catch their attention. "Wait for me!" she shouted, falling in step beside Barret.  
  
Barret cast her a sidelong glance. "Hope you left some materia for the rest a Cosmo Canyon," he joked.  
  
Yuffie punched him in the arm. "I'm not always stealing materia," she muttered.  
  
"Yeah, but the rest a the time I bet yer thinkin' about it."  
  
Yuffie scoffed. "Vincent," she cried, slapping the man's caped arm. "D'ya hear what this buffoon is saying about me?"  
  
Vincent didn't turn to look at her, but his voice floated over his shoulder to them. "The truth hurts sometimes."  
  
Yuffie pushed Vincent forward angrily, causing him to stumble a step, before running off to seat herself beside Tifa and Aeris who had already arrived. She stuck out her tongue at them before turning away.  
  
The crowd was growing larger by the moment. Barret quickened his steps, patting Vincent on the shoulder. "C'mon, let's get some seats before there ain't none left."  
  
Vincent nodded. They scanned the area for seats without success until Cloud stood amongst the denizens of the Canyon and started waving his hands.  
  
"Hey, guys, over here!"  
  
Barret started in that direction, Vincent following. Stepping carefully to avoid badly placed hands, feet and other assorted limbs, he made his way slowly over to his friends who were all seated in a group in front of the Flame. He sat next to Cloud. Vincent lowered himself beside Barret, looking around uneasily at all of the people surrounding him. Barret pitied the poor, reclusive man, seeing him start as an unknown woman accidentally brushed against him as she sat down at his other side. Upon seeing his claw, she moved over. Vincent seemed to sigh silently in relief.  
  
"So, where's Red?" Barret asked Cloud over the chattering of the other people.  
  
Cloud shrugged. And then he pointed through the crowd. Barret strained his eyes and eventually saw their feline friend making his way up to the Flame. He hopped up onto the rock and greeted everyone solemnly. The crowd became quiet.  
  
"Tonight, we have the very great pleasure of hearing our esteemed mentor, my beloved grandfather Buganhagan, tell a tale no one has yet heard."  
  
Everyone began to talk in hushed tones. They settled again as the old man seemed to float up beside Red XIII. Red took a seat next to Aeris and nodded to his friends. Barret smiled and returned his attention to the aged man standing beside the Eternal Flame.  
  
Without any kind of introduction, Buganhagan began his story, his voice calm and captivating. Even the fire seemed to quiet itself as if listening, enraptured.  
  
"Once there was a group of very noble men and women, chosen by the planet to risk their lives in order to save humanity, indeed, the entire world. The leader of this group was a man with hair like the sun and eyes like the ocean. The task chosen for them involved the death of a monstrous, white-haired demon..."  
  
Barret gave a rumbling chuckle and nudged Cloud in the ribs. "I think I've heard this one before," he whispered.  
  
Cloud smiled, leaning back to enjoy the tale. 


	2. Peace At Last?

The next morning, after breakfast, the group met around the Eternal Flame. Its fire was not diminished from the night before, but it didn't look as impressive as it had during the story-telling. At every exciting part, the flames had seemed to shoot up, crackling and hissing. At every sad part, the fire had died down slightly as if burdened by the sorrow. Now it burned steadily as if wishing each of the members strength as they began their new journey back into ordinary life.  
  
There were more than a few tears from Tifa and Aeris as they said good-bye to the others in turn, giving their friends the small gifts they had bought the evening before. For Yuffie, there was a necklace decorated colourfully with small rounds beads that glowed like materia. For Cait, there was a new pack of cards, their backs displaying pictures of moogle children at play. For Barret, there was a book of Cosmo Canyon stories for him to read to Marlene before bed. Vincent's gift was a small dagger with a bejeweled hilt and its own scabbard for him to tuck under his cape. Red was given a royal blue hair clip, its surface adorned with twin braids of deep purple that intertwined, forming something that looked not unlike a DNA molecule. Cid received a gold lighter engraved with his initials. Cloud's gift was an earring, a small ring of silver. Smiling, he removed the old iron one he had worn since leaving Nibelheim as a child and replaced it with the new one. To everyone, this symbolized a discarding of the past like nothing else.  
  
Cait Sith, as Reeve, sent a helicopter to Cosmo Canyon. Cid offered to pilot it and he, with Cait, Aeris, Cloud, Barret, and Tifa, took off for the respective destinations. Yuffie was given a chocobo to ride to Wutai, herself laden down somewhat by the weight of everyone's materia. Vincent, it ended up, left before anyone could arrange transportation for him, and before any good-byes could be said.  
  
And thus, the new adventure had begun.  
  
  
  
  
Cait Sith hopped out of the helicopter amidst a chorus of farewells and started through North Corel to the Gold Saucer. The cable car ride was so familiar, if he'd had tear ducts, he would've cried.  
  
"Hey, Cait!" someone greeted him as he took up his remembered place in one of the lobbies. He turned. It was Dio.  
  
"Oh, hi," Cait Sith said with false enthusiasm. He had forgotten this part of coming back.  
  
Dio sauntered up beside him and ran a hand over his greased-backed hair. "Hey, uh, can I ask you something?"  
  
Cait saw nothing wrong with this. "Shoot," he said.  
  
"Well, I was just wondering something. While you were all in pursuit of Sephiroth, did you happen to kill a Shinra scientist? Hobo, was his name?"  
  
"You mean Hojo?"  
  
"Yeah, that's it."  
  
Cait frowned slightly, his furry brows coming together. "Yeah, we did. What about it?"  
  
Dio laughed suddenly, just a little too loud, Cait thought. "No reason, really. I was just wondering. Well, I hope you can draw some customers in. Business has been kind of slow since the meteor and everything. See ya later." With that, he sauntered away.  
  
Cait scratched an ear, watching Dio depart. That had been slightly strange. What interest would a dead scientist be to a man who ran the Gold Saucer?  
  
"Excuse me. Are you the cat who can tell the future?"  
  
Cait turned to see the inquisitive eyes of a young woman. He smiled. His musings would have to wait. Business called. "Yes, that's me. Cait Sith's the name, and fortune telling's my game. Do you want your future told with tarot cards, a palm reading, or just plain old-fashioned clairvoyance?"  
  
  
  
  
Tifa stepped out of the helicopter first, her hair blowing around her face in the force of the chopping propellers. Aeris stepped out next, followed by Cloud and Barret.  
  
"Bye you guys!" Cid shouted over the beat of the helicopter. "Hope to see ya'll soon."  
  
"Yep, bye Cid!" Cloud shouted back. Tifa waved as the helicopter rose into the air and began to fade into the distance.  
  
Aeris took a deep draught of air. "The world smells so fresh today," she exclaimed. "Almost as if it were the beginning."  
  
"Well, it is a beginning of sorts," Cloud amended. "We're all beginning over again, as if we hadn't just saved the world."  
  
"Will you two jus' cut it wit' that philosophic crap!" Barret moaned. "Let's jus' get goin'!"  
  
Though Tifa hated to admit it, she agreed with Barret. Although they had saved the world and were now in no rush to go anywhere or do anything, she felt an overpowering sense that haste was needed. The deeper-than-usual grimace on Barret's face told her that he felt it, too. With a shrug from Cloud and a sigh from Aeris, the four walked casually into Kalm.  
  
As they stepped into the streets, Barret cursed. "We don't even know where yer mother's livin' now!" he pointed out.  
  
Aeris bit her bottom lip and scanned the houses around them. And then she pointed. "There," she said, her finger aimed at a quaint, red-brick house next to a restaurant. "That has to be it. See the flowers in the window? They're the ones from the church in Midgar!"  
  
Tifa squinted and saw that Aeris was right. Behind the pane she noticed a batch of delicate flowers blooming gently out of a small, blue vase. Without another word, the group started toward the house. Before they had collectively taken twenty steps, however, a couple of teenage boys stepped in front of Cloud, running their hands through their hair and clearing their throats. Cloud, Tifa could see, looked as if he wasn't sure whether to be amused or annoyed.  
  
"You're that man, aren't you, who killed Sephiroth?" one of the boys finally asked.  
  
Cloud crossed his arms over his chest. "Who wants to know?" he asked.  
  
The boy fidgeted nervously under his gaze. Cloud failed to hide the twitch of his lips.  
  
"Is it true that your sword is bigger than you?" the other boy wondered. He seemed the elder of the two, and a little bolder.  
  
Cloud shrugged and deftly unsheathed the Ultima Weapon, swinging it around his head a few times for effect before plunging it dramatically into the ground at his feet. The two boys stood, their mouths open, dumbfounded.  
  
Cloud smiled easily and leaned against the hilt of his blade, crossing his legs, obviously enjoying the attention. Tifa shook her head, unable to stop a grin. He could be so cocky sometimes.  
  
"Whoa," one of the boys eventually murmured.  
  
"Is...is it true that Sephiroth had eyes that glowed red when he was angry?" the other boy asked.  
  
"And that he had a forked tail with fire on the tip of it?" his friend added.  
  
"And that he could change into a massive demon at will?"  
  
"And that he didn't bleed?"  
  
Cloud shook his head, holding up his hands to halt the barrage of questions. "Look, I'd really like to stand here and chat with you two, but I've got a friend here who's in a hurry and I don't want to get him mad."  
  
For emphasis, Barret growled menacingly.  
  
The two boys glanced at Barret's impressive figure and blanched. "Well, thank you for your time," one of them said before they both took off running.  
  
Aeris hit Cloud in the arm as he yanked his sword out of the ground and sheathed it. "Was that really necessary?" she chided.  
  
Cloud shrugged and said nothing, heading again for the house Aeris had pointed out.  
  
After some discussion, it was decided that Aeris should be the one to knock and see if she had been correct. She gave the door three sharp raps with her knuckles before stepping back to wait.  
  
It was a few moments before the door creaked open to reveal the tousle-headed Marlene, still dressed in her nightie. Upon seeing them, she squealed and jumped into Barret's waiting arms. "Daddy!"  
  
Barret swung her around, his usually stern face breaking into a great grin. "Hey baby, what's happenin'?"  
  
Elmyra appeared in the doorway in her bathrobe. It seemed to take her a moment to realize who her visitors were, and then she raised a hand to her mouth, tears coming to her eyes.  
  
"You've come home," she whispered.  
  
Aeris nearly fell into her adopted mother's arms, both of them crying by this time. "I heard you had died," her mother said.  
  
Aeris withdrew and wiped her eyes. "The lifestream brought me back, Mom."  
  
Elmyra took Aeris' hands in hers. "I hope this time you're here to stay."  
  
Aeris smiled. "I hope so, too."  
  
Tifa stood awkwardly behind Aeris, feeling kind of out of place. She glanced over at Cloud to see that he was feeling the same, studying his boots with interest. Watching the two reunions made her ache poignantly for her father, and she guessed that Cloud was thinking about his mother. Neither of them had any family left. This separation of the group would probably weigh most heavily upon them once they were left to themselves. Barret was leaving for North Corel, he had said in the helicopter. Going back to Midgar would open up too many old wounds, bring back too many buried memories, disturb too many ghosts. Aeris would be living with her mother. They would be on their own. Unless they decided to live together. Tifa let her eyes roam over Cloud's face, wondering what his reaction would be if she asked him. They didn't have to live as significant others, at least not at first. She just didn't want to be alone.  
  
"Oh, how rude of me," Elmyra said suddenly. "I'm having all of you stand on my doorstep like strangers. Come in, come in. Marlene and I were just having breakfast."  
Barret put Marlene on the floor. The little girl ran back to her chair at the table, hoisting herself up and continuing to eat her meal.  
  
"Are any of you hungry?" Elmyra asked. "There's plenty of pancake batter left and I can cook up some eggs."  
  
"No, thank you. We've already eaten," Cloud answered.  
  
Tifa nodded. Her stomach still felt stretched from the huge breakfast they had been served that morning in Cosmo Canyon.  
  
"Well, how about some coffee?" Elmyra offered.  
  
Barret sat heavily in the chair next to his daughter. "I'll take some coffee, thanks," he said.  
  
"I think I'll make myself some tea," Aeris said, walking up to a cupboard and rummaging around before producing a black kettle. "Would you like some Tifa? Cloud?"  
  
Tifa shrugged. "I guess I'll have some."  
  
"Good. Cloud, would you please go into the next room and get two more chairs?" Aeris filled the kettle with water and placed it on one of the stove elements to boil.  
  
Elmyra chuckled. "How did you know where the kettle was, Aeris? And the chairs?"  
  
Aeris smiled. "This house looks surprisingly like our old one. I imagine that you kept everything in a similar spot."  
  
"You know me too well," Elmyra laughed, setting a cup of coffee in front of Barret.  
  
Aeris just shrugged playfully and turned to bring a couple of mugs down from a shelf.  
  
Cloud came back into the room, two folding chairs in his arms. He set them down at the table and lowered himself into one beside Barret. Tifa approached and sat on the other side of Marlene as the girl munched on a piece of jam-lathered toast.  
  
"So," Elmyra began, seating herself beside Cloud, "how long are you thinking of staying?"  
  
"Oh, we ain't gonna be stayin' long," Barret said, setting his cup down in the saucer. "Marlene an' me, we gotta be goin' if we wanna get to North Corel in the next couple a days."  
  
"What about you two?" Elmyra wondered, looking at Tifa and Cloud.  
  
Cloud shrugged. "We were thinking of just living here in Kalm," he explained.  
  
"Together?" Elmyra asked.  
  
Cloud shrugged and looked at Tifa, a half-smile on his face that made her heart begin to thud in her ears. "I dunno. Maybe."  
  
Tifa cursed herself as her cheeks began to colour.  
  
Aeris set down two mugs of tea, one in front of Tifa and the other in front of herself. "Well, whatever you're doing, you should know that our house is open to you until you get situated."  
  
Cloud smiled and nodded at her. "Thanks, Aeris."  
  
Marlene drank her orange juice down before hopping off her chair to carry her plate to the sink.  
  
"Good girl," Barret praised her. "Now, go upstairs an' get dressed. Then I'll come up an' help ya pack, okay?"  
  
Marlene nodded and thumped vigorously up the stairs.  
  
"You have a delightful daughter, there," Elmyra said once Marlene was out of sight.  
  
Barret grinned. "Yeah, she's a little ray of sunshine." He rubbed the back of his neck. "I jus' wanna thank you fer takin' care a her, an' all."  
  
"Oh, it was no trouble at all. In fact, she's the one who kept me from falling into depression. Anytime I would begin to think of Aeris' death and how I really had nothing to live for, Marlene would come into the room and tell me how much she loved me." Elmyra shook her head. "I think she was a God-send."  
  
A minute later, Marlene called down to say that she was dressed. Barret ascended the steps to help his daughter pack.  
  
Tifa watched Barret go, realizing only now that, once Barret and Marlene left for North Corel, there was a very good chance she would not see them again for a long, long time. She sighed and took a sip of her cooling tea. The change back to ordinary life was going to be hard to get used to.  
  
It was nearly noon by the time Barret and Marlene were ready to go, having said all of their good-byes. Once they were out the door, Elmyra and Aeris set about making soup and sandwiches for lunch. As they ate, Aeris filled her mother in on all of the details of the adventure they'd just returned from, passing the story to Cloud when she reached the part concerning the Forgotten City. Elmyra sat listening intently until they were finished and then gave a great sigh. "Well, I'm glad it's all over," she told them. "All this business about the world coming to an end had people at their wits end around here. I thought it was going to turn ugly a few times. But at least it's all turned out all right." She stood from the table and began to collect the dishes.  
  
Cloud was just handing her his plate with a 'thank you' when there was a sudden scream from outside. He glanced at Tifa and Aeris. "Did you hear that?"  
  
Both of them nodded. Frowning, Cloud got up from the table and walked to the window. In a moment, his posture had become rigid.  
  
"What's wrong?" Tifa asked.  
  
He beckoned them quickly without turning from the window. Confused, and more than a little concerned, both girls pushed their chairs back and hurried to Cloud's side.  
  
Outside, in the middle of the square, a large, lumbering zombie was stalking around clumsily, its huge wings tucked snugly against its back. Every few steps, it lifted its head as if sniffing at the air. The woman who had screamed, a large lady in an apron, ran from where she had been sweeping her walk back into her house, leaving her broom behind.  
  
Elmyra looked out of the window over Cloud's shoulder. "Oh my..."  
  
"I thought monsters avoided towns as a rule," Aeris remarked.  
  
"They do," Cloud muttered.  
  
Tifa shuddered as the monster, sensing their gaze, looked through the window at them.  
  
"C'mon," Cloud said suddenly. "Let's go get rid of it."  
  
It took the three of them no more than a few seconds to retrieve their weapons from the living room and walk out of the house amidst Elmyra's pleas for them to be careful. As soon as they stepped into the street, the monster turned its attention to them, its eyes glowing strangely. It sniffed at them and, giving a grunt, made its approach.  
  
Cloud drew the Ultima Weapon from its sheath at his back and prepared to fight. Tifa adjusted the Premium Heart on her fist and saw Aeris balancing the Princess Guard in her hands.  
  
Cloud was the first to attack, lunging forward with his sword. The beast roared, jumping out of the way, swinging its enormous arms in an attempt to crush its assailant. Cloud, however, was able to dodge the blows. Aeris jumped forward suddenly, twirling her weapon in her hands before bringing it down on the monster's head. It began to advance on her, but this gave Cloud the opening he needed. With expert technique, he swung his blade, giving the beast a slice on the shoulder. It howled angrily and began to charge.  
  
Tifa took this as her chance and ran forward while it was distracted with Cloud. As it rushed onward, she ducked behind it and gave it a disabling kick to the base of the spine. The monster stumbled and fell to its knees. Tifa withdrew and started to come at its side, but something made her hesitate. There on the monster's shoulder, still recognizable under the blood, were five large, black digits: VII-AS.  
  
Cloud advanced on the beast, as did Aeris. Faced with having to defeat all three of them, the beast gave a piercing wail and struggled to its feet before opening its massive wings. Tifa, who was still staring in consternation at its shoulder, was knocked backwards. Before anyone could do anything, the creature launched itself skyward and flew off.  
  
Cloud and Aeris hurried to Tifa's side and carefully helped her to her feet. "Are you all right?" Cloud asked her.  
  
Tifa nodded mutely. "But I saw something tattooed on its shoulder. Five letters, like identification marks."  
  
"You mean, like the Sephiroth clones had?" Aeris asked.  
  
"Yes. VII, a hyphen, and then AS. The VII could stand for seven, I suppose, but then what would AS stand for?"  
  
Cloud's eyes narrowed. "It sounds like this monster was part of Hojo's experiments."  
  
Aeris raised her eyebrows. "A survivor?"  
  
He frowned. "It's not hard to imagine. But did you see the way it was sniffing around?"  
  
"Like it was looking for something?" Tifa supplied.  
  
Aeris chewed on her bottom lip. "Are you thinking that it's a new experiment?"  
  
"That would mean Hojo survived," Tifa pointed out.  
  
Cloud shrugged distractedly. "He injected himself with Jenova cells. Maybe he did survive and has started up his experiments elsewhere."  
  
"But wouldn't he have needed his information? Weren't all of his records in the Shinra databank?" Aeris wondered.  
  
"Not all of them," Cloud said suddenly. "He kept a lot of his information stored in books in the basement of the Shinra Mansion." He was silent for a moment. And then he waved a dismissive hand. "Maybe we're reading too much into this," he said. "We're still so tuned into battles and fighting Sephiroth that we can't take anything at face value. It was probably just one of the mutants Hojo made before."  
  
Aeris nodded. "It's probably not a good idea to jump too hastily to conclusions. We should be busying ourselves with the task of starting normal lives, not finding new adventures."  
  
Cloud chuckled a little and ran a hand through his hair. "You're right. Let's go back inside now. I just want to relax for a little while."  
  
Tifa nodded her agreement, though inside she still felt a little unsettled. Putting it down to nerves awakened by the battle, she followed her friends into the house. 


	3. Finding Home

Cid dismounted the chocobo outside of Rocket Town and sent it on its way. Before taking a step into his home town, however, he allowed himself a few moments to let his eyes roam around, recognizing how homesick he really was. The town hadn't changed much, except for the fact that the rocket he had built was no longer leaning precariously over the buildings. This observation brought with it memories of his journey into space, and he thought about how funny it was that a man could leave his home and change the fate of the world, and then return to take up his life where he'd left off. Though, of course, some things were going to be different.  
He'd dropped the helicopter off at Midgar and taken the ferry from Junon to the western continent. Once at Costa Del Sol, he'd rented a chocobo he could ride to Rocket Town. It was now late evening and the sun had already set. He wondered if Shera would be up at this hour.  
  
The lights were off in his house. He opened the door as silently as possible and stepped into the darkened dining room, closing the door softly behind him. Pushing his boots off was the first things he did, and then he proceeded to remove his flight jacket, goggles, and gloves, dropping them all to the floor. The Venus Gospel he leaned up against a wall he knew stood in the darkness.  
  
The sound of movement behind him made him turn, though the house was too dark for him to see anything. Out of instinct, he kept one hand on his lance.  
  
"Captain?"  
  
Cid took his hand from his weapon as a light came on in the room, revealing a sleepy Shera in her flannel nightie. Cid was shocked to see her this way. He had never before caught her with her hair down, or without her glasses. Her green-flecked eyes shone in the dim light of the desk lamp.  
  
"Captain!" she exclaimed, taking a joyful step toward him, a smile of relief covering her face. But then she stopped and lowered her eyes. "I mean...it's good to see that you survived. I've been worri...wondering about you ever since I heard that meteor was destroyed."  
  
"Yeah." Cid looked at her, suddenly feeling awkward. He wanted more than anything to say something meaningful, or perhaps to touch her, or hold her. But her abrupt withdrawal made him rethink this. He scratched a rough cheek and tried to figure out a way of saying what he wanted to say.  
  
Shera moved out of the way as he walked to the table and sat wearily. "Are...are you all right, Captain?" she asked. "Do you want something to eat. Or some honey tea?"  
  
Cid frowned shaking his head. "Just...just let me think for a minute," he said.  
  
Shera sat down in the chair across from him quietly, but Cid could feel her eyes on him. He had to force himself not to scowl.  
  
"What is it?" Shera asked.  
  
Cid closed his eyes wearily as he tried to force his brain to think of something to say. He was no romantic. What would Cloud do in this situation? Or better yet, Barret? Barret had been married once before. He ran a frustrated hand through his hair.  
  
"Captain?"  
  
"I...I have to tell you something, Shera," he said finally. And then he fell silent.  
  
Shera looked at him expectantly.  
  
Cid blew out his breath. This wasn't going to be easy. He'd almost rather be dealing with an emergency aboard the Highwind. At least there he knew what to do.  
  
"What is it, Captain?"  
  
Cid rubbed his sweaty palms on his pants, trying to settle the butterflies in his stomach. Why was this so hard? He'd just helped save the planet from a madman intent on destroying it. One would think he'd be able to tell the woman he'd lived with for years how he felt about her. He gritted his teeth at his own cowardice.  
  
"Captain?"  
  
Cid banged a fist on the table and stood. Shera jumped up, knocking the chair over with a dull thump.  
  
"Dammit, Shera, my name's Cid. All right?"  
  
She nodded quickly and glanced at the chair she'd knocked over. "Of course...Cid. I'm sorry..."  
  
"And don't apologize anymore, Shera. Please." His voice was tired, strained. "You don't have nothing to be sorry about. It's me who should be sorry for all of the shit I put you through." He sighed and scratched at his scalp. "Look, Shera..." He hesitated, pushing one hand into the pocket where he'd kept the ring he'd bought her in Cosmo Canyon. "I know I don't deserve your forgiveness, or anything from you..." He pursed his lips. "But, I'm sorry. For everything. And, I..." He faltered again and fidgeted with the ring in his pocket. "I..." Quickly, before he could lose his nerve, he pulled the ring from its hiding place and held it out for her to see.  
  
Shera beheld the ring in confusion for a moment, and then realization began to dawn. Cid saw the war between disbelief and a desperate hope play out over her face. It gave him courage.  
  
"I love you, Shera," he confessed softly. "And I want to marry you, if you'll have an old bugger like me."  
  
  
  
  
Yuffie ran unhesitatingly into Wutai. She heard a few people gasp at her arrival. A couple more called her name. She ignored them. She was heading home.  
  
She burst through the door, stumbling a little in her enthusiasm. "Dad!" she shouted. "Dad, I'm back!"  
  
Godo rushed out of the door to his room and stopped dead in the hall, his face full of shock. And then he dashed forward. Yuffie giggled as he picked her up and held her above his head. "Yuffie! Yuffie, you're alive!" he shouted, laughing. "I was afraid you'd been killed!"  
  
Yuffie scoffed as he put her back on the floor. "You doubt your own daughter's skills?" she asked, a bit miffed.  
  
"No, no. Of course not. But, ah, the others? Did they survive as well?"  
  
"Yeah, we're all fine. Even Aeris is all right. The planet did something funky, and now she's alive again."  
  
"Wonderful!" Godo exclaimed. "Now, about the materia..."  
  
Yuffie looked at him conspiratorially and slung the pack from her shoulders. She put it gently on the floor and knelt beside it, untying the drawstrings. Godo watched, wringing his hands in anticipation.  
  
After a few moments, Yuffie held up the green lightning materia. Godo inhaled sharply, taking it from her carefully as if it were a fragile egg.  
  
"This is...beautiful," he murmured, awestruck.  
  
"That's not all," Yuffie said, standing and pulling the sack with her. "Every one of these is mastered."  
  
Godo stared, his jaw dropping. "Let me see them," he declared suddenly.  
  
Yuffie drew the pack away as Godo reached for it. "Uh-uh. They're mine. I helped master them, I get to keep them."  
  
Godo's face flushed with anger. "Why you little..."  
  
Yuffie danced nimbly out of the way as her father lunged at her. "Ha, ha. You're getting clumsy in your old age," she taunted. She then turned and ran out of the building.  
  
Godo chased her as far as the door. "Yuffie, get back here right now! YUFFIE!!"  
  
  
  
  
Vincent was staring at his reflection in the pool outside of the cave, his gaze lingering on his red eyes as if with morbid curiousity. Eventually, he ran his flesh fingers over the image, sending ripples across the water. He'd arrived here nearly an hour ago, but had yet to go inside the cave. The last encounter he'd had with Lucrecia had left him shaken. She was alive, but she'd demanded that he keep his distance. Was she that frightened of what had been done to him? Or perhaps she was fighting with her own guilt? There was no way to know except to brave the unknown. With a sigh, he stood and walked along the bank of the pool until he could step behind the waterfall.  
  
The cavern was dark and damp as before, and a light spray from the waterfall covered everything in a soft mist. Vincent flexed the fingers of his metal claw restlessly, glancing around the cave until his eyes finally lighted upon the mysterious glow from the slightly raised platform before him. He took a breath. "Lucrecia?"  
  
She stepped out of the glow as if she had just been waiting for her name. "Vincent," she said, but the inflection in her voice made it hard to tell whether it was a greeting or just a statement of recognition.  
  
Vincent took a step forward and was heartened when she didn't flinch away. "I came to apologize. I told you before that Sephiroth was dead, but it was a lie. At that point, he was alive, but insane. He was trying to destroy the planet. I knew that if I told you he lived, you would want to see him, and you might've put yourself in danger."  
  
Lucrecia said nothing for a moment as she studied Vincent's face, as if searching for a reason to doubt him. Finally she spoke again. "So, he is dead now?"  
  
Vincent inclined his head once. Lucrecia lowered her eyes. "It's for the best, I suppose. After everything I let happen to him, there really was no hope of him living a normal life. I brought this on him." She lifted her head and her eyes were dry. "Thank you, Vincent, for telling me."  
  
Vincent nodded again, but with the distinct feeling that he was being dismissed. Not yet, he told himself. Not until I say what I've come to say. "I came also to ask you something," he told her quietly. "Will you hear me?"  
  
Lucrecia hesitated a moment before nodding, as if she suspected the content of his question.  
  
Vincent began. "I know I have wronged you in ways that I cannot mend. I deserve no mercy. But..." He paused to collect his thoughts. "I am going to be starting up a new life somewhere, if I can manage it. And I'm asking if you would like to be a part of it."  
  
Lucrecia's expression seemed resigned, as if she'd already come to a decision. "Vincent, you never wronged me," she told him. "You were the only one who loved me truly. I made my own choice; I wronged myself." She stopped to take a breath. "But I have achieved a kind of peace here."  
  
Vincent bowed his head at her answer. He'd expected as much, but he'd hoped to find himself wrong. "I understand, of course. Peace is what I hope for my future." He raised his eyes to her after a moment. "I may return, Lucrecia, to visit you again."  
  
She smiled, but it was no more than a shade of the smile he remembered. "I think I would like that. You may even end up changing my mind eventually. It does get lonely here."  
  
Vincent recalled with sudden clarity the kind of closeness they'd once shared, the ease of their conversations, and he longed for that again. "Then I will return. Until then, I have brought you a gift." Slowly, he closed the distance between them and held out a small box for her to take. She did so, her fingers barely ghosting over his own. "Thank you, Vincent."  
  
He bowed and turned around suddenly, as if it had become too much to be around her. In a moment, he'd stepped around the cascading waterfall and disappeared from sight.  
  
Lucrecia watched his departure, her expression unreadable. After a few moments, her attention turned to the box in her hand. Gently, she lifted the tiny lid and then gasped at what was inside.  
  
It was a ring. A golden band adorned with a blood-red ruby. He had truly chosen an appropriate gift. There was nothing it reminded her of more than his eyes.  
  
  
  
  
Cid walked along the metal grating of the Highwind, coming in from the deck. Yellow spots danced in front of his eyes as they adjusted to the sudden change in lighting. He pulled a cigarette from the package in his goggles and lit it with the lighter Tifa and Aeris had bought him. He took a deep pull on it and let the smoke drift lazily through his lips. He didn't think he had ever been this content in his life.  
  
Shera had burst into tears at his proposal. Shocked, Cid had been unsure of what to do. And then she had rushed forward and hugged him, saying her answer again and again. Yes, yes, and yes.  
  
Cid walked up behind one of the technicians and patted his shoulder. The technician, crouched in front of an open panel, started, almost dropping the welder he had been using. With a thumb, he pushed up his safety visor and peered carefully at Cid.  
  
"Good work," Cid said. "You guys are doing a great job. Thanks for coming out her on such short notice."  
  
The technician continued to stare. "Are you feeling all right, Captain?" he asked after a moment.  
  
Cid smiled and took another pull on his cigarette. "Never better," he answered truthfully.  
  
"Captain Cid!"  
  
Cid turned to address whoever had called his name. It was a young man, wiping his greasy hands on an equally greasy rag. "There's a...a big, talking cat outside that says he wants to see you."  
  
Cid chuckled under his breath and went to see what Red XIII wanted.  
  
Red was sitting patiently on the ground. Cid hopped over the railing and scaled the rope ladder without a problem. Once down, he approached his friend, flicking his cigarette away.  
  
Red smiled, or gave his version of a smile, as Cid drew near. "So, how are the repairs proceeding?" he asked.  
  
Cid grinned. "Great! Everything's going even better than I had hoped. I was able to get all of the people I needed, all of the tools, too." He looked up at the Highwind and ran a hand over the back of his head. "We'll probably be able to take her to Rocket Town in a day or so and finish the repairs there."  
  
Red nodded. "That's good," he said.  
  
They spent a moment looking over the Highwind.  
  
"So," Red began eventually, "would you and your men like some lunch?"  
  
Cid frowned a little, shading his eyes and looking up at the sun. "Is it that late already?" he wondered aloud.  
  
"Later. The meal is already waiting inside. Come."  
  
The caves of Cosmo Canyon were cool. After having his technicians led away down another passage, Cid followed Red into the dining room he remembered from a few days ago and began to help himself to some lunch. The food, as expected, was delicious. He dug in with fervor.  
  
Red came and sat by him with his own plate, eating thoughtfully. And then he looked at Cid. "You're happier than usual, my friend," he said finally. "What's happened?"  
  
"What do you mean?" Cid asked, his mouth full.  
  
"I mean, if you weren't happier than usual, you would be shouting at your men, complaining even when nothing is wrong, and grumbling about the heat or the sun in your eyes."  
  
"God, Red, you sure know how to make a guy feel good about himself."  
  
"I am being serious," Red urged, leaning in closer, his one eye probing. "What has happened to make you so lighthearted?"  
  
Cid repressed a grin. "All right, I'll tell ya, but only because I trust you not to blab it. I proposed to Shera, and she said yes."  
  
Red's one eye widened. He looked about to impart congratulations when one of the younger technicians who had been asked to watch the ship ran into the caves.  
  
"Captain Cid! Come quickly!"  
  
Cid jumped to his feet, upsetting his plate. Red also stood. "What is it?" he demanded.  
  
"There's some kind of a monster outside! And it's huge!" the man exclaimed in agitation.  
  
Cid was suddenly glad to have brought the Venus Gospel with him. Except that it was on the ship. He cursed.  
  
"Hey...uh..."  
  
"Carter, Sir."  
  
"Right. Sorry. Carter, run and get my spear from the hold of the ship!"  
  
The man nodded and ran outside. Cid and Red followed.  
  
The technician hadn't been kidding when he'd said the monster was huge; it looked fully as big as two full grown men with massive claws and what looked like wings folded against its back.  
  
Once it saw the young technician, Carter, running for the ship, it roared. The technician only increased his speed, jumping onto the ladder and making a mad scramble for the deck. The monster spread its wings, ready to pursue, but Cid ran forward, waving his arms and yelling at the top of his lungs.  
  
"Hey you, ya ugly bastard! Over here! Come get me!"  
  
"I don't know if that's wise," Red admonished from where he ran beside him.  
  
Cid ignored the warning and continued with his racket. With Carter out of sight, the monster turned toward the source of the noise and started for the two members of Avalanche, opening its wings to soar effortlessly along the ground.  
  
"It's wounded," Red observed as it neared. "Look at its shoulder. Do you think one of your men could've done that?"  
  
Cid scoffed. "With what? A wrench? Those men on my ship are the greatest if you want something repaired, but they know as much about fighting as I do about needlework."  
  
The creature let out a guttural growl as it advanced and Cid ducked out of the way as it swung at him. He saw an opening as the beast stepped forward with the force of the unwieldy blow and cursed. Where was Carter? He could've run this thing through already if he'd had his weapon!  
  
The monster turned to follow as Cid began jogging backwards. This left its back and right side vulnerable for Red's attack a moment later. He pounced, claws at the ready, and slashed viciously at their enemy. It howled suddenly with pain and threw its arms out, but Red was able to leap nimbly out of the way. Angry now, the monster focused its attack on Red, following him relentlessly until it became obvious that Red was becoming tired from the constant charge and retreat tactics. Cid cursed aloud, searching the deck of his ship for any sign of Carter. Where was that boy?  
  
"Hey!" Cid shouted. "Hey, over here ya big brute!"  
  
The monster ignored him. Swinging a large claw, it swiped Red across the haunch as he retreated. Red fell to the ground. In a moment, he was up again, but Cid could see that he was favoring his injured leg. In that condition, he wouldn't be able to avoid the monster's attacks for long. With no other choice, Cid ran forward and started pounding on the creature's back. "Hey!"  
  
The monster turned suddenly, but Cid had been expecting this. He vaulted himself out of the way, but not entirely in time. Sharp talons ripped through the arm of his jacket into his skin. He grit his teeth on a cry of pain and put a hand to his shoulder. It came away covered with blood. He swore.  
  
"Captain!"  
  
Running again to avoid the monster, it was a moment before Cid could look up to see Carter waving at him from the deck. And then the technician dropped the Venus Gospel over the railing. It landed in the dirt at the base of the ship.  
  
Despite the pain burning in his shoulder, Cid made a frantic dash for his weapon. He could hear the creature pursuing him, its wings opening like the unfurling of two huge sails. Resisting the urge to send a glance backward, Cid continued to run. A few seconds later he could hear its heavy breathing right behind him. Quickly, he dropped to the ground and rolled underneath the monster's taloned feet. It took the creature a moment to realize what had happened, but a moment was all Cid needed to get to his feet and lunge for his weapon.  
  
"C'mon, you ugly son of a bitch!" he yelled, settling the Venus Gospel in his palms. "Let's see how you like prey that fights back!"  
  
The beast was nonplused by the fact that Cid was now armed. It approached him eagerly. Cid fended off the blows from its claws, catching them on the weapon and flinging them back, ignoring the discomfort in his shoulder. The monster roared in frustration and abandoned this strategy, using its bulk to its advantage and charging forward.  
  
But its bulk was also a disadvantage. Cid quickly ducked out of the way of the attack. Propelled on by inertia, the monster was unable to come to an immediate halt. In that second, Cid was able to plunge forward with his weapon and slice the creature deeply across the flank.  
  
The monster gave a wail of pain and began to retreat from its attacker. Once it had gained enough speed, it opened its wings and began to fly.  
  
"We scared it off!" Cid exclaimed as Red XIII approached him.  
  
"No! Look!" Red countered suddenly.  
  
Cid watched in horror as the beast descended right into the middle of Cosmo Canyon. Cursing explosively, he ran for the town, Red XIII quickly overtaking him.  
  
Many of the inhabitants of the Canyon had already taken shelter in the caves or the buildings. The monster, however, didn't seem very interested in the people. It tilted its head upward, sniffing the air, walking slowly. Sometimes when it came to a shop, it would crash in the door and poke its massive head within before withdrawing to continue wandering.  
  
"It almost looks as if it's searching for something," Red murmured from Cid's side.  
  
Cid tightened his hold on the Venus Gospel. "I don't care if it's here with gift-baskets, it's leaving now." He stepped forward, walking quickly to where the creature was pacing around. As he approached, the monster turned to look at him. It growled angrily, but seemed less than interested in a rematch. With a final roar, it opened its wings and launched itself upward. Cid watched as it caught an air current and soared away.  
  
Red padded up beside him. Without turning his head, he asked, "What the hell was that all about?"  
  
"I have no idea," Red answered, shaking his shaggy head. "But, I think we should probably tell the others about it. That was a little too odd for me to believe there was nothing behind it." 


	4. A New Adventure Begins

Vincent stepped into the welcoming peace of Nibelheim and was hard put to repress a shiver. He hated this town. He had hated it on sight when he'd been sent here as a Turk. It reminded him too much of the torture he had endured, and the childhood hometown that he could never quite remember. Thirty years ago it had given him the disturbing feeling that it was hiding something, as if the gaps in his memory were somehow here, under the surface. And now it hid the horrible deed that Sephiroth had done. Nibelheim was a town with a lot of past, and most of it shoved under the rug by Shinra. Could it really be called peaceful anymore?  
  
So why was he here again? Vincent chuckled morosely under his breath. It always came back to Nibelheim. He had nowhere else to go. He hated it, but it was all he had left. The basement of the Shinra Mansion had been his home for thirty years; he had dropped out of the world, and now it held no spot for him. He would have to live here, but perhaps only until Lucrecia made a final decision.  
  
The gate of the mansion was hanging open, creaking a little in a light wind. Vincent walked along the flagstone path between the iron posts and, almost as an afterthought, closed the gate behind him. If he was going to claim this place, he might as well try and make it looked lived in. That, at least, might keep the curious away.  
  
He was just turning to continue up the path toward the small stone staircase when something made him stop in his tracks. The huge double doors had been forced open, and not gently either. It looked as if the intruder had foregone all attempts at picking the locks and had resorted to bashing his way in, regardless of any who might chance upon the damage done. And it had to have been a large intruder. The door was weighty, made solidly of wood. Feeling strangely violated, Vincent walked through the splintered doors and into the dim lobby of the building.   
  
The sunlight streamed hazily through the grimy windows, shedding a dusky glow on everything. Vincent might even have felt a pang of nostalgia at seeing the old room had he not found the intruder still roaming around the foyer. Seemingly oblivious to his audience, a monster, like an undead creature with wings crunched up at its shoulder blades, was sniffing at the air, its serpentine tongue flicking out almost invisibly from time to time.   
  
As quietly as he could, Vincent pulled the Death Penalty from its holster at his hip and cocked it, aiming carefully for the creature's left side, where the heart would hopefully be. The beast, however, as though sensing a sudden malice in the air, turned just as Vincent fired the weapon and took the bullet in its shoulder. With a piteous moan it moved to face him fully and began to approach.   
  
It was injured, as if it had recently been in a fierce battle. Both of its shoulders now were bleeding from grievous wounds, its torso was laced with jagged claw marks, and there was a long cut along its ribs that had soaked its left side with blood. Vincent wondered how it was still standing, but then decided it would be best to put the thing out of its misery first and ask questions later. He aimed to fire again.  
  
But the beast wasn't ready to die just yet. With a growl, it jumped forward, swinging a massive claw. Vincent was forced into a tactical retreat that made him suddenly aware of how small an area he had to fight in. He'd become used to fighting in the open with a group of people where he'd had the space and the time to ready his weapon. In this situation, the Death Penalty wouldn't have been his weapon of choice. He would've much rather been using something fast and lightweight. But there was nothing for it. Holstering his gun, he reached under his cape and pulled out the dagger Tifa and Aeris had bought him.  
  
The creature advanced on him again and, without an opening, Vincent had to retreat once more. He skimmed around the room, as close to the wall as he could without becoming trapped, and waited for the opportunity to strike. In a few moments he got his wish as the beast swung at him clumsily, and then had to recover its balance. Moving quickly, Vincent lunged forward with the dagger, intent on slashing one of its jugulars. But the monster was too wary to take its eyes from him. In turning to keep him in sight, it managed to move its neck out of range of the killing thrust. The blade only scratched its throat, though it was enough to make some blood dribble out. Vincent cursed and leapt out of the creature's reach before it could strike him with a counterattack.   
  
The monster followed him tirelessly, throwing out its arms and sometimes missing Vincent by mere inches. The gunman knew he couldn't keep up this game of cat and mouse forever. Perhaps he would have to rely on Chaos for this battle, or he would have to leave the mansion for now. He was just trying to decide whether going for his limit break was such a good idea in an enclosed space when he heard the sound of small running footsteps.  
  
The creature evidently heard them, too, for it suddenly broke off its pursuit of Vincent to follow the new prey. Sniffing anxiously, it lumbered across the room, and there was suddenly someone screaming. Without hesitating, Vincent used this turn of events to his advantage and jumped onto the beast's broad shoulders.  
  
The growl it gave was like a shout of rage and pain, and it swung around, trying to throw its unwelcome rider free. But Vincent was determined that this should be the end. He brandished the dagger and began to plunge it into the monster's shoulders and neck. With a roaring cry, the creature began to buck violently and Vincent lost his hold. With a grunt, he fell to the floor. He was worried for one second that he wouldn't be able to regain his feet before the thing came after him, but it seemed to have had all it could take. With a crouch that lowered it nearly to the ground, it propelled itself upward and outward through one of the many dirty skylights. The sound of shattering glass was omnipresent for a moment, and then silence descended.  
  
Vincent stood and, after cleaning and sheathing the dagger, started walking toward the other intruder in his house. It wasn't obvious at first, but after a few steps he realized that what had originally looked like a pile of rags was in fact a quivering child huddled on the floor. As he approached, the child gave a pitiful wail and hunched into a tighter ball. He stopped walking.  
  
"I'm not going to hurt you," he told the frightened youth. "You can get up."  
  
The child gave no sign of wanting to move. Vincent sighed and crouched down beside the mass of dirty clothes and limbs. "You're all right. Get up."  
  
The child raised a head of messy curls, revealing a pinched, pale face. She couldn't have been more than five or six, though she was slight even for that age with sallow cheeks and thin arms peeking out from a too big shirt. An orphan most likely, and who knew how long she'd been living alone in the mansion?  
  
"Do you have parents in the town?" he asked her quietly. The way she continued to stare at him, silent and wary, made him wonder if she even understood him. "Can you speak?" he tried again.  
  
She began to tremble and whispered something with quivering lips, but even with his enhanced hearing Vincent was unable to pick up what she'd said. He leaned in closer as she repeated it and she shied away, her voice becoming louder. "Go away, go away, go away!"  
  
It was obvious she'd put some claim on the house. He sighed again and sat back, weary from the battle. "I am not going to go away," he told her. "I live here."  
  
This seemed to surprise her. She gazed at him for a few seconds as if to challenge what he'd said. "I live here," she whispered, but whether she was restating her claim or just echoing him wasn't clear. "Who are you?"  
  
Vincent raised an eyebrow. "I will not carry on a conversation with you if you're going to continue huddling on the floor."  
  
The girl studied him again, judging his sincerity, before sitting up. "Tell me who you are," she persisted.  
  
She was articulate for a youngster. "My name is Vincent," he told her.  
  
"Vincent." A small pink tongue darted out of her mouth to lick at her chapped lips and she took a few moments to look him over. When she next spoke, it was in a decisive tone as if she was stating something absolute. "I'm not going back."  
  
To the orphanage, Vincent assumed. "You want to stay here?"  
  
She stared at him unblinkingly, not saying anything.  
  
Vincent sighed. "Is there somewhere I can take you?"  
  
The girl stiffened suddenly. "Don't take me back," she told him sternly.  
  
"No, I won't take you back. But you can't stay here." What Vincent knew about children you could fit on the head of a pin. Would any of his friends know what to do? With a grunt, he lifted himself to his feet and dug his PHS out of his pocket.  
  
The girl stood by his side. "What are you doing?" she asked.  
  
He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, not really planning to say anything, but something caught his attention. The collar of her shirt had slipped down over one tiny shoulder and there were markings there on her arm that were not from dirt. Curious, he crouched down in front of her again and beckoned her to him. She hesitated.  
  
"I'm not going to hurt you," he told her.  
  
She paused a moment more, but the fact that he hadn't hurt her yet made her trust him a little. Slowly, she shuffled toward him. When she was close enough, Vincent gently took her arm in his flesh hand and pushed the sleeve up to her collarbone. The markings were clear enough now for Vincent to make them out, and what he saw made him tense up suddenly. It looked like an identification mark: I-AS. And there was no doubt in his mind where it had come from, where she had come from. He grabbed her tightly in his hands as if she was about to try to run and demanded, "Where did you come from?"  
  
The girl squirmed in some fright. "Let go!" she pleaded. "You're hurting me!"  
  
He realized that he was probably pinching her with his metal fingers and loosened his grip. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "I need to know where you got those markings."  
  
She stared back at him sullenly. Vincent sighed. "I didn't mean to hurt you," he told her. "I was just...surprised."  
  
The girl continued staring at him. "You have red eyes," she observed suddenly.  
  
"Do you know who gave you these marks?" Vincent persisted.  
  
The girl's eyes filled unexpectedly with tears. "The monster was chasing me," she whispered shakily. "It wants to take me back."  
  
Vincent leaned in closer to her, relaxing his grip further. "Back where?" he asked.  
  
The girl shook her head and closed her eyes. Tears began to make tracks down her grubby cheeks.   
  
Vincent watched her for a moment before deciding that he'd better cap this before it turned into a crying fit. "Do you have a name?" he asked her.  
  
She looked up, her bottom lip still quivering. "Spearmint," she said.  
  
Vincent frowned. "What?"  
  
The girl frowned back at him in concentration. "X...X-spearmint one."  
  
Experiment one. Vincent stood again and retrieved his discarded PHS.  
  
  
  
  
Tifa plopped herself into a wooden chair in her nearly empty house, running a weary hand through her tousled hair. It had been a long day, and it wasn't over yet. Late afternoon was slowly drifting into early evening, gently touching the sky with the warning signs of sunset, and there was still so much to do.   
  
That morning, she had put a down payment on a house in Kalm. It wasn't that she didn't enjoy staying with Aeris and Cloud at Elmyra's house, but she felt the need to move out on her own, start her own life. Again. This house had been for sale for a while, so the price had been lowered considerably from its first offer. After looking it over carefully, she had decided that it was just what she wanted and had paid in cash. She, Cloud, Aeris, and Elmyra had spent almost all afternoon lugging some extra furniture from Elmyra's place into Tifa's new home. Fortunately, the house wasn't far away, and Cloud had managed to carry most of the heavy stuff by himself, such as a table and dresser. Elmyra's spare fridge had taken all of their efforts, as had the old stove. Tifa didn't have the frame for a bed yet, but Elmyra had been able to spare a box-spring and a mattress, at least giving Tifa somewhere lay her head at night.  
  
She was trying to decide if maybe everything else that had to be done could wait until tomorrow when there was a knock at her open door. Without waiting for an answer, Cloud leaned his head in and smiled at her.  
  
"May I come in?"  
  
"You may," Tifa answered.  
  
Cloud entered and glanced over the virtually empty living room with a thoughtful expression. And then he started nodding. "This place has a lot of potential," he said. He pointed at a spot near the kitchen. "You could put a bar counter in right there."  
  
Tifa smiled. "Yeah. That's one of the reasons I bought this place. It looked as if it might be able to help me start my life again. And I think this old, unwanted house needed me as much as I needed it."  
  
Cloud smiled at her and looked ready to come and sit down beside her when his PHS began to ring. He dug into his shirt pocket and pulled it out, flipping it open in the same motion.  
  
"Hello? Vincent! How're you doing? Good. So what's new? What?" He glanced around and settled himself down on a box. "A...monster? Okay. Huh, we fought one of those yesterday. I gave it quite a slice on the shoulder with my...what? Yeah, the left shoulder." He paused for a moment, listening. "Hmm, it might be the same one. And a girl?" His expression became serious. "You're sure? Okay, where are you? Right. I'll call Cait and see if he can get a helicopter to bring you and the girl to Kalm. Okay. Bye."  
  
He flipped his PHS shut and then open again. Tifa leaned in toward him in some curious concern and he glanced at her before punching in some other numbers. "Hello, Cait? It's Cloud. Yeah, we're doing all right. Um, listen, do you know if Reeve can get us that helicopter again? Yeah, well, we need him to pick Vincent up at Nibelheim and bring him to Kalm. Yeah, actually I would prefer if you would come, too. Good. Thanks a lot, Cait. Yep, see you soon."  
  
Tifa had stood from her chair and was now standing close to Cloud as if she'd been trying to hear the conversation through his other ear. When he flipped the PHS shut and put it back into his shirt pocket she gave him an expectant look. He just shrugged and headed for the door.  
  
Tifa followed him doggedly as he headed for Elmyra's house. "What was that all about, Cloud? What did Vincent say about a monster?"  
  
Cloud shook his head and shrugged again. "I'm not sure," he called over his shoulder. "And I know you're not going to like this, but I'm going let Vincent explain when he gets here."  
  
  
  
  
Half an hour after the PHS call from Cloud, a helicopter landed outside of Nibelheim. Cait Sith was already aboard, bouncing excitedly at the door as he ushered the passengers in. "C'mon, c'mon! Cloud's tone sounded urgent, and it's already been thirty minutes! Hurry!"  
  
Vincent climbed into the helicopter, a small girl in his arms with her own hands wrapped tightly around his neck. He sat down in one of the padded black seats and let go of the child, motioning that she should move over to the seat beside him. She shook her head stubbornly and remained where she was. Vincent didn't urge her again.  
  
Cait looked at the girl in confusion. "Two passengers?" he muttered as the helicopter took off, piloted by a Shinra navigator. "Who's the girl?"  
  
Vincent merely shrugged. The girl stared in curious interest at the stuffed moogle-and-cat standing before her.  
  
"You mean you just picked her up off the street and brought her with you?" Cait demanded.  
  
Vincent sighed. "Of course not," he said. "She is the reason I called Cloud."  
  
"Vincent saved me," the girl said suddenly. "From the monster. He said I don't have to go back."  
  
Cait raised his furry eyebrows and pushed at the crown that sat on his head. "I don't think I understand."  
  
"You will," Vincent told him. "I'll explain everything when we reach Kalm."  
  
That seemed to appease the small cat for the time being and he sat back for the remainder of the ride.  
  
  
  
  
Tifa was the first to spot the craft landing outside of Kalm, calling to the others as she ran to the door. Vincent and Cait were just disembarking when the others joined her, and they all watched as Cait Sith approached, his moogle bouncing forward gaily, and Vincent followed with a dirty bundle in his arms.  
  
At a signal from Cait Sith, the helicopter took off into the air, heading back to Midgar. Tifa glanced at it momentarily before turning back to observe the small procession. Cloud had said something about a girl over the PHS. Was that what Vincent held? If so, she had to be small.  
  
Tifa's questions were addressed when the bundle moved suddenly to turn a white little face toward the house. It was hard to tell at first, but as they drew closer it seemed that the child was afraid. Was she an orphan, or some poor street urchin? Of all of the people in their group, Tifa thought Aeris the most likely to want to help those less fortunate than herself, not Vincent. And yet, at the moment she couldn't think of any other explanation. Better to wait and find out from Vincent himself why he'd brought the child.  
  
As Vincent brushed past those who stood in the doorway the women cooed a bit over the girl, who for her part clutched at the gunslinger's shirt and buried her face deeper in its folds. It wasn't until they had all gathered in Elmyra's living room and had started talking amongst themselves and to Vincent that the girl finally gained the courage to peer around.  
  
"What did the monster look like?"  
  
"You said it had a slash wound on its left arm."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Could it be the same one?"  
  
"It had other wounds also, scratches along its ribs and another cut with a weapon."  
  
"Well, we didn't give it those wounds."  
  
"What does the girl have to do with the monster?"  
  
"It was pursuing her."  
  
"Pursuing her? Why?"  
  
There was suddenly a pregnant pause. Vincent drew a breath. "I believe Hojo was trying to recapture her."  
  
The room became silent. The girl began to struggle and, obligingly, Vincent placed her upright on the floor.  
  
"You think Hojo is still alive?" Cloud asked seriously, his voice betraying no disbelief or doubt, only curiousity.  
  
"If not, then the monster has a very long memory for its orders."  
  
"And you're sure she's from Hojo?"  
  
Vincent said nothing, but leaned down toward the girl. She seemed to flinch a little as he reached for her sleeve but she let him draw it upward until the black-inked tattoo was visible. There were a couple of gasps.  
  
"Like the ones the monster had its arm!" Tifa exclaimed.  
  
Vincent glanced at her sharply, as if another piece had fallen in to convince him further that it was Hojo.  
  
"Did you see a mark on the monster?" Aeris asked him.  
  
"No, but it was badly injured. The tattoo may have been covered in blood."  
  
Silence reigned again for nearly a full minute until Elmyra took it upon herself to say, "Well, the child must be tired. Maybe we could give her a bath and find something else for her to wear. I think Marlene left a couple of dresses that had grown to small for her."  
  
The others in the room stirred and Aeris nodded. "I'll take her upstairs. Tifa, would you help me?"  
  
"Sure." They both took a step toward the girl but stopped when she flinched backward and took a defiantly fearful hold on a crease in Vincent's pants.  
  
Aeris glanced into the stoic man's face. "Vincent, would you?"  
  
He looked down at the girl. "Go with them. They're friends of mine. You'll be safe."  
  
She stared up at him with, if not blind trust, a kind of tried faith that had had too many people turn against her suddenly, and let go of his pants. In a moment, she was being led upstairs.  
  
"Poor child," Elmyra clucked, and then she turned to her remaining guests to ask, "Would anyone like some tea?"  
  
  
  
  
It wasn't long before the girl was being led back down the stairs, clean and groomed and dressed in one of Marlene's discarded dresses. No longer looking the part of a street urchin, she looked like she could've been a girl of the town, except for the skinniness of her bones and the fierce wariness of her eyes. Once back on the main floor, she scampered over to where Vincent was sitting in an armchair and sat down beside his outstretched legs, putting one hand out to grasp at the material of his pants as if to convince herself that he wasn't about to disappear.  
  
"She said she doesn't have a name," Aeris reported as if it was the first order of business. "Any suggestions?"  
  
Everyone was thoughtful for a minute.  
  
"What about Syra or Mirelle?" Elmyra said finally. "Those seem to be the most popular names at the moment."  
  
Aeris turned to the girl. "What do you think? Syra or Mirelle, or do want some other choices?"  
  
The girl said nothing for a few moments, and then, as if it had come to her, declared suddenly, "Syra."  
  
"All right, Syra it is then," Tifa said.  
  
Cloud still looked thoughtful. "It's not good enough for us to know that she came from Hojo if we don't know where Hojo is, or even if he is still alive."  
  
"Well, does she know where she came from?" Cait Sith asked.  
  
Syra was starting to droop against Vincent's shin. He noticed and replied for her. "She may not. I wasn't able to get an answer from her earlier."  
  
"Well, it's no wonder." Elmyra walked into the room and picked the girl up into her arms. "Chased by a monster and then forced to trust a group of strangers. And who knows how long its been since she's eaten or slept in a bed. I think it's time someone thought of her for a few minutes. I'm taking her upstairs. Aeris, can she have your room?"  
  
"Of course. I'll sleep on the floor of your room, Mom, if that's okay."  
  
Elmyra nodded and started for the stairway, but she'd barely taken half a dozen steps before Syra was coming wide awake and stretching out her arms, her hands reaching toward where Vincent sat. Elmyra turned to him.  
  
Vincent stood from his chair. "I'll take her." He stepped up to Elmyra and Syra clambered into his arms.  
  
"Aeris' room is the one on the left," Elmyra told him. Vincent nodded and disappeared up the stairs with the girl comfortably settled in his arms, her face hidden in his shoulder.  
  
"Poor thing," Elmyra mumbled. "He's pretty strongly imprinted on her."  
  
"Maybe Vincent's the first person she's been able to trust," Tifa said quietly. The man was stoic and reserved and perhaps not the most friendly of their group, but he was soft-spoken and trustworthy, and for a child who had been in Hojo's keeping those two things would probably be just as important as any other. Maybe more so.  
  
There was a moment or two of silence before Cloud stood from the couch. "Well, I don't think we're going to learn any more tonight."  
  
Tifa nodded resignedly. "I'm going home to bed."  
  
"That sounds like a good idea," Aeris said. "Good-night Tifa, good-night Cloud. You don't mind sleeping on the couch again, do you?"  
  
Cloud shook his head. "It'll be fine. Thanks for putting up with me this long."  
  
Elmyra smiled at him as she and her daughter headed for the stairway. "It's no problem, Cloud. We'll see you in the morning."  
  
Once Aeris and her mother had gone upstairs, Tifa turned to Cloud. "You'll come and get me, won't you Cloud, before anything's decided tomorrow morning?"  
  
"You bet." A small smile quirked at his lips and Tifa rejoiced to see it. He smiled so rarely now. "Will I get to see you in your pajamas?"  
  
She leveled a glare at him. "You're a dirty man, Cloud Strife."  
  
He chuckled suddenly, and there was mirth in the sound. "I'll see you tomorrow, Teef. Get some sleep."  
  
"You, too."  
  
Tifa turned and walked out of the house. As she strode across the square in the darkening evening, her boots thudding noisily in the silence, her mood followed the sun, sinking further and further down. Why couldn't the adventure just end? She wished with all of her heart that tonight she could sleep for the sake of sleeping, not for the sake of the adventure she would be facing tomorrow.  
  
  
  
  
Vincent awoke in the night to unfamiliar surroundings, though he knew in a moment where he was. Cloud had provided him with a mattress from Elmyra's basement and there, on the floor of the living room, he'd fallen into a shallow slumber. Beside him, on the couch, Cloud snored softly, one hand dangling freely in the air. But Cloud's snoring wasn't what had awakened him.  
  
The small sound came again from upstairs, a quiet whimper from behind a closed door, a sound of fear and helplessness. Moving softly, Vincent stood from the mattress and headed up the stairs. Already he felt a kind of responsibility toward the child, and he felt it his duty to make sure that she didn't wake the others if she was having a nightmare. Silently, he opened the door to Aeris' room and then closed it behind him.  
  
His enhanced sight allowed him to see Syra, curled up in a fetal position, her tiny fists stuffed under her chin. She had kicked off her blankets and would likely wake soon from the chill. Doing his best not to stir her, he pulled the sheet up from the bottom of the bed and furled it up to her shoulders.  
  
He hadn't made any noise, but perhaps the presence of someone else in the room was enough. She woke suddenly with a start and cowered away from him in terror as if he was the nightmare she'd been having come to life. She might've cried out if Vincent hadn't spoken first.  
  
"Hush. It's me. Go back to sleep."  
  
In a moment, Syra was kneeling on the bed and pushing herself into Vincent's arms. "He's here," she kept whispering fearfully. "Don't let him take me. He's here to take me back."  
  
After a few seconds of trying in vain to get her to lie down again, Vincent allowed the child to burrow herself into his shirt. "There's no one here. No one is going to take you back. Now go back to sleep, Syra." They were going to need her help the next morning, and getting the information out of her would probably tax her mentally and emotionally. He tried to back out of her embrace, pulling gently at her arms. She gave a loud whimper of protest and tightened her grip.  
  
"Don't go," she whispered. "He'll take me away."  
  
Vincent sighed. Perhaps it would've been better if he'd let the child wake Aeris or her mother. They would've been better at this kind of thing. "All right, I won't go. Lie down and I'll stay here on the floor."  
  
After a moment, she seemed to accept this. Releasing her hold on him, she lay back onto the bed and let Vincent tuck her into the blankets. In a few minutes, her breathing lengthened as she fell again into a deeper sleep, apparently completely assured of her safety with her protector in the room.  
  
And Vincent, accepting his role as simply as she had bestowed it, sat down on the floor beside the bed to wait for morning. 


	5. Revelations

Barret, Marlene seated wearily on his gun arm, plodded slowly into North Corel, weighed down both in mood and with the things Elmyra had given he and Marlene to help them start up again. Where she had received so many extra odds and ends, he had no idea, but he was grateful to her. He was fairly sure no one in his old village would be willing to help him with anything.  
  
The place looked almost exactly as he remembered it: dusty, depressing, and littered with ramshakle shelters. With a heavy sigh he placed Marlene gently on the ground and dropped the luggage he'd been carrying. Marlene rubbed her eyes with tiny fists and looked around the ruins that once had been Barret's home town. "Where are we, Daddy?"  
  
"This's our new home, sweetheart," Barret told her. Not that that was anything to cheer about. This was a dead town that even the threat of Sephiroth and meteor hadn't been able to bring back to fearful life. It was as if its inhabitants had lost the will to do anything.  
  
Barret took a few steps toward a man seated on the ground and tending a small, dying fire. He was thin and dressed in rags, and his eyes were sunken in a face unshaven and creased as if he had always been squinting into the sun. He glanced up only once before looking away. "Yeah?"  
  
"D'ya know if there're any places fer sale here that me an' my daughter could move into?"  
  
The man looked up again, incredulous and almost giving an absurb smile. "You wanna live here?" Suddenly he broke into dry, wheezing laughter.  
  
Barret sighed. "Yeah, I wanna live here. Can ya help me or not?"  
  
The man stopped laughing, but his eyes were dancing with a cruel kind of mirth, probably the only kind of mirth anyone experienced here. "Ask the mayor if you're in such a damn hurry. He's in the house over there." He gestured with the stick in his hand to a shack on a small rise of land.  
  
"Thanks," Barret said gruffly and gestured for Marlene to follow him. She ignored him, staring up into the sky.  
  
"C'mon Marlene, time to move."  
  
Marlene glanced at him distractedly. "But Daddy, look at the bird." She pointed over her head. Barret followed her finger, squinting.  
  
It wasn't like any bird he'd ever seen. Too big and too clumsy, and definitely too humanoid. Some kind of freak monster, and it looked like it had been through a meat grinder. In most cases Barret wouldn't have given it more than a few moments' attention, but the thing was headed straight for North Corel. Startled by its bravado, Barret continued watching, almost unbelieving, until it had nearly touched down. With a curse, he gathered up his things and hurried over toward Marlene. She was standing where he'd left her, dumb with timid curiousity.  
  
The man by the fire had taken off only moments before Barret, and now the creature was following him, sniffing the air with apparent interest. Hoping to get out of range in case the thing turned around, Barret began to usher a wide-eyed Marlene away from the scene, but it wasn't soon enough. As if it was being led by a sixth sense, the monster swung to face them, its tongue darting out rapidly through its teeth. Barret wrinkled his nose at the smell of the caking, black blood that covered its shoulder and most of its torso.  
  
"C'mon Marlene, behind me!" he hissed, readying the Missing Score, suddenly glad that he'd followed his instincts and loaded it the night before. Bracing his legs, he opened fire on the monster. In a few moments, most of the people of North Corel had come out of their houses to see what all the noise was about.  
  
The creature stumbled as the bullets hit, but took less time than Barret had anticipated to recover from the initial shock of the attack and, snarling, it advanced on him with more speed than something that injured should have been able to. With a curse, Barret jumped aside and rolled to one knee, hoping to draw it away from Marlene.  
  
But the creature seemed to have lost interest in attacking him. Whuffing noisily through its nose, it started toward Marlene. She stood paralyzed in mute terror, jaw slack as she stared up at it.  
  
Barret swore loudly. "Run, Marlene! RUN!!" He readied his weapon, but didn't fire, not trusting his aim enough to risk the life of his daughter.  
  
Marlene didn't seem to hear him at first, but as the monster took another step toward her she gave a piercing scream. Belatedly she turned and tried to run, but the creature was faster. With hardly an effort, it reached down and picked her up in one arm.  
  
Barret gave a hoarse cry and bolted to his feet. "Leave 'er alone! Come 'n get me!"  
  
The monster ignored him and put Marlene under its arm. She gave one more shriek before fainting, her body going suddenly limp. Barret swore explosively as the creature crouched muscled legs and propelled itself into the air. Lifting the Missing Score, Barret followed its course, searching frantically for a clear shot as it opened its huge wings to an air current and started to glide away, but there was nothing he could do from where he was standing. Hastily he stumbled a step or two to the right and aimed again, but by then the monster was too high. A drop from there would certainly kill Marlene. With a frustrated sob, Barret lowered his gun arm and watched as the small girl who had been his only reason for living since his wife's death was taken from him to who knew what fate.  
  
  
  
  
When Syra woke the next morning, Vincent woke with her and, at her insistance, helped her back into her dress. He would not, however, carry her down the stairs. That she had to do on her own if she wanted any breakfast. Syra sulked at first, but when Vincent started down without her she scurried after him, not willing to be left behind.  
  
They were greeted in the kitchen by Aeris and Elmyra, who were both dressed and groomed as if they had been up for hours, and Cloud who was nursing a cup of coffee and looking like he'd just rolled off of the couch. Vincent declined the offer of pancakes, but Syra dug in enthusiastically as if she hadn't eaten in years. Elmyra clucked over her sympathetically. "Poor thing, I wonder when she last had a proper meal."  
  
Cloud watched her for a moment or two before downing the rest of his coffee. "Well, I should probably go and get Tifa."  
  
Aeris glanced at him. "Isn't it still a little early?"  
  
Cloud shrugged. "The earlier the better. I, for one, would like to find out if this is anything we have to get excited about." He stood and, after stepping into his boots, left the house.  
  
In a couple of minutes he returned with Tifa at his back. She'd obviously been up and waiting for him. Both of them were smiling at some piece of conversation they'd been having, but their expressions turned sober again as they entered the kitchen and remembered what situation they might be facing. As they sat down at the table, Cait came in from the living room where he'd shut down for the night.  
  
"Well, now that we're all here," Cloud began, "maybe we can get some answers. Syra?"  
  
The girl glanced up from her plate and swallowed a bite of pancake. For a few moments she'd been unguarded, occupied with eating, but as she met Cloud's gaze the wary, frightened look came back into her eyes.  
  
"Syra, we need to know where you came from."  
  
She regarded him with sudden suspicion. "You won't take me back," she stated quietly as if she was unsure whether or not it was the truth.  
  
"No, we won't. I promise. We just need to know so that we can stop the man who hurt you from hurting others."  
  
Syra stared at him a second longer before glancing over her shoulder at Vincent who was leaning against a wall, his arms crossed over his abdomen. He stepped forward. "It's all right, Syra. Answer him."  
  
Syra turned back to the table. "Shinra," she said clearly.  
  
The sudden stillness in the room was almost palapable. Tifa was the first to stir. "Shinra?" she muttered.  
  
"You came from Shinra?" Cloud asked.  
  
She hesitated and then nodded slowly. "Shinra."  
  
"You mean the Shinra Building?" Cait wondered.  
  
Syra didn't answer. It became apparent after a few moments that 'Shinra' meant nothing to her beyond that she had probably heard over and over again. But at least it was a location. A frown began to form on Cloud's face. He stood from his chair and beckoned to the others in the room. "Mrs. Gainsborough, would you mind taking care of Syra for a few minutes? We just need to talk something over."  
  
"Of course." She fetched another plate of pancakes to keep the girl busy while the others went into the living room.  
  
Cloud sat on the couch and motioned for the others to make themselves comfortable.  
  
"Could she really have come from the Shinra Building?" Aeris wondered, lowering herself onto the mattress Vincent had used as a bed. "Could Hojo have been keeping her there?"  
  
"I suppose so," Cloud replied, "but Hojo must've taken her away before the building fell. No one could've survived that."  
  
"Maybe she escaped while we were fighting him," Tifa said, thinking aloud. "And now he's trying to get her back."  
  
"Do you think he's done something to her then?" Aeris asked, suddenly whispering. "Something he didn't finish?"  
  
There was silence for a moment until Vincent spoke. "Does that matter?"  
  
The others looked at him and Aeris had the grace to flush a little.  
  
"No, it doesn't matter," Cloud answered solidly. "We wouldn't abandon her now. What we should do is get ahold of Reeve and ask if he's heard any rumours."  
  
The others were just nodding their agreement when Elmyra gave a small cry from the kitchen. Quickly, they all stood and headed back.  
  
Elmyra was huddled over Syra on her chair with a cloth in her hand. "Oh-oh, here honey, let me see. Let me see."  
  
"What happened?" Aeris asked.  
  
Elmyra looked up and they could see Syra behind her with a finger in her mouth. "Just a little cut with a knife," the older woman said. "Nothing to worry about." She turned back to the girl. "Let me see, Syra. I just want to clean it."  
  
Syra freed her finger and held it up for Elmyra to see. Elmyra hesitated. "No, sweetie, the one you cut."  
  
Syra kept holding out the same finger. Elmyra took the girl's hand and examined it. "Where'd the cut go?" she asked.  
  
Aeris stepped forward. "Are you sure she cut herself?"  
  
Elmyra stood up. "Yes, here's the knife. There's still a little blood on it."  
  
Aeris took the knife from her and looked at it closely. There was, indeed, a red tinge on the sharp edge. She turned back to Syra. "Did you cut yourself?" she asked.  
  
Syra held up her whole finger for Aeris to see. Aeris gave a small frown. "Syra, there's no cut there."  
  
Syra seemed nonplused by this observation. "It's healed already."  
  
Elmyra gave a startled chuckle. "How is that possible?"  
  
Cloud cleared his throat. "It's possible if she has Jenova cells in her."  
  
There was another sudden silence in the room. Syra glanced around at them. "Jenova," she said clearly as if she was familiar with the word.  
  
Just then, a ring from Cloud's PHS made everyone jump. Flustered, he pulled it out of his pocket and flipped it open. "Cloud here." After a moment he frowned. "Barret? I can't...wait, I can't understand..." His expression fell into one of dismayed horror, but it was quickly replaced with a leadership grimace they all recognized. "All right, calm down. There's nothing we can do from here. I'm going to call Cid and see how repairs on the Highwind are comimg. We'll be there as soon as we can. Hold tight, Barret." He hung up and looked at the sober, expectant faces around him.  
  
"That was Barret," he said unnecessarily. "Marlene's been taken by that creature."  
  
  
  
  
The Highwind wasn't in peak condition, but it worked well enough to get Cid and Red both to Kalm. Soon, they were gathered with the others in Elmyra's kitchen while Elmyra rushed around with a pot of coffee, filling or refilling mugs as needed.  
  
"So, you're telling us that that son of a bitch Hojo is still alive by some miracle and that the monster we fought is one of his newest twisted experiments?" Cid said, taking a swig of his coffee.  
  
Cloud nodded. "Basically."  
  
"And this child, Syra, is also one of his experiments?" Red asked from where he sat on the floor.  
  
"We think so. She cut herself earlier and the wound healed within seconds."  
  
"And the monster was sent out to find her?"  
  
"Yes," Vincent answered, and the others looked to the corner of the room where he was standing. "When she appeared, it lost all interest in fighting me and began to pursue her. I don't imagine that anything but a direct order could have changed its priorities so quickly." By this time, Syra had finished her breakfast and had retreated to a spot beside him where she could sit and grab onto a crease in his pants. She didn't seem too interested in the coversation going on above her, but she glanced up with the others as Vincent spoke.  
  
"But, this still doesn't explain why the monster would be interested Marlene," Red observed after a moment.  
  
"It might," Aeris said. "If this monster is anything like the monsters we fought before, one human probably looks quite like another. If Hojo sent it out to find the girl, is it really that hard to believe that it might make a mistake and bring him the wrong girl?"  
  
Cid shrugged and took another sip of his coffee. "So, does Barret know any of this?"  
  
"Yes, I called him," Cloud told him. "He's still worried, of course. Having her in Hojo's hands is no better than having her in those of that monster."  
  
Everyone agreed silently with this.  
  
"So, what do we do now?" Red asked.  
  
"Now," Cloud said, "I call Reeve to see if he knows anything, and then we head to Wutai."  
  
Cid halted with his coffee cup half-way to his mouth. "Oh god, don't tell me..."  
  
Cait grinnned from atop his moogle. "What, you wanna face Hojo again without any materia?"  
  
Cid hung his head with a gruff sigh. "You know, I just got that vomit smell out of the hold."  
  
  
  
  
Reeve was busy drowing in paperwork when his PHS rang. It took him a good twenty seconds to recognize the sound of the mechanical box Cloud had had delivered to him not even a week ago, and another thirty to locate it under a pile of statements that needed his approval. Shoving some errant bangs out of his face, he answered it. "Reeve here."  
  
"Hey, Reeve. It's been awhile. How is everything?"  
  
Reeve sighed and sat back, glad for an excuse to take a small break. "Oh, busy, as usual. The president left this place in a financial mess and I'm still trying to pay back his creditors. And people are still treating me like I've taken over from Rufus. I can't wait until the elections, and then we can get some representatives in each sector."  
  
"Sounds rough."  
  
"Yeah, well, I didn't take this job on because it would be easy. It just had to be done. So, how's everything with you? I haven't heard from anyone but Cait since everyone left Cosmo Canyon."  
  
There was a pause on the other end. "Well, actually, things aren't so good."  
  
Reeve sat up. "Why, what's happened?"  
  
"We've got some cause to believe that Hojo, or a Hojo-wanna-be, is up to his old mischief. Have you heard anything?"  
  
"Hojo?" Reeve frowned. "No, I haven't heard anything about him. Why?"  
  
"Well..." Another pause. "Vincent ran across a girl, maybe five years old, with a tattoo on her arm and a mutated monster on her tail. And Vincent's positive the tattoo is one of Hojo's make."  
  
"Ooh." He grimaced. "That's not so good."  
  
"You're telling us. On top of that, the monster mistook Marlene for the girl Vincent found and has taken her to Hojo."  
  
"Oh god! How's Barret?"  
  
"Well, he's taking it hard, as you can probably guess. Are you sure you haven't heard anything? Even a rumour?"  
  
Reeve hesitated a moment, thinking. Had he heard anything? Something about this was tugging at his memory. "Wait, maybe I have. It's nothing concrete, but maybe it'll give you something to start with."  
  
"Go on."  
  
"When Cait went back to the Saucer, Dio came up to him and asked him a question about Hojo, whether we'd killed a scientist from Shinra by that name. It was an odd question, but Dio wouldn't say anything else when Cait asked. Maybe he knows something."  
  
There was a pause and Reeve could barely hear Cloud asking Cait why he hadn't mentioned this. "I didn't think it was important!" the small cat wailed in the background. Reeve smiled, the first smile he'd had cause to have in a few days.  
  
Cloud came back on. "Okay, thanks Reeve. We're going to pick up Barret and head to the Gold Saucer. Do you want us to keep you updated?"  
  
"Yes, sure." Maybe he hadn't been an 'official' part of Avalanche, but he considered himself a kind of silent partner.  
  
"All right. Talk to you again when we find something."  
  
"Okay. And tell Barret I'm sorry and I hope things work out."  
  
"Will do."  
  
Reeve hung up the PHS and put it back onto his cluttered desk with a worried sigh. Hojo back? Was it possible? He remembered seeing the greasy scientist, the one he'd brushed shoulders with more times than he cared to recall, in his mutated form through Cait's eyes and the memory made him shiver. Something about the man had always made him want to wrinkle his nose, as if he gave off a foul odour. Yes, definitely, the world would've been a better place without a Hojo in it. And despite the fact that he was a card-carrying atheist, Reeve wanted to pray to God that that simpering demon in spectacles and a too big lab coat hadn't returned in any form.  
  
  
  
  
Barret was waiting for them just outside of North Corel, practically jumping from one foot to the other in his impatience. Still clumsy with the rope ladder to the Highwind, he made the climb in record time and started demanding that they get going, pointing in the direction the creature had flown. Cid ground the butt of his cigarette against the railing and pulled another from his goggles.  
  
"Sorry, man. Cloud's 'got a plan'. We're going to Wutai."  
  
"Shit! What for? There ain't no time!"  
  
"Go talk to him about it, there's no use in screaming at me! I'm just the friggin' pilot."  
  
Barret stormed off into the hold and burst through the doors of the cabin. "Why the hell are we goin' to Wutai?" he shouted, startling the rest of the group, most of whom were seated around the table.  
  
"Materia," Cloud said simply. "We need it to confront Hojo."  
  
"&%$# confrontin' Hojo, I just want Marlene back!" Barret protested, but he sat down resignedly at the table next to Tifa. "Just wanna start my life again. Wasn't askin' fer no trouble. Just wanted to start again."  
  
Tifa patted his big shoulder in sympathy as he sagged onto the table. "I know," she said. "None of us wanted this. But I'm sure Hojo won't do any worse than lock her up somewhere safe. She wasn't the one he wanted."  
  
"My poor baby," he moaned. "She's prob'ly so scared."  
  
Tifa continued to pat his shoulder and glanced around at the others with something close to a helpless shrug. What could they do but what they were doing? Going unprepared into the unknown wasn't a good idea under the best of circumstances. They needed all of the help and information they could get before they attempted to rescue Marlene.  
  
Cloud returned Tifa's helpless look for a moment before getting down to business. "First we'll swing by the Gold Saucer to drop Cait off, and then we'll head for Wutai. Cait, I want you to go and talk to Dio again. Ask him about Hojo. Find out what he knows."  
  
"Roger," the little cat said, standing up to his full eleven inches and saluting from atop his moogle. "You won't be disappointed, sir."  
  
"Once we know where Hojo is, assuming Dio can tell us, we'll equip the materia and go find him. I doubt he'll have recognized Marlene as Barret's daughter, so he probably won't be expecting us. We might actually have the upper hand this time." He didn't say what he thought the outcome would be; he knew as well as any of them that this wouldn't be an easy battle considering what Hojo had already lived through. But the speech gave everyone a little optimism, if only because they now had a plan of action. Even Barret lifted his head a little from the table.  
  
Cloud stood. "All right. I'm going to go tell Cid what we're doing. Cait, you come with me."  
  
Vincent left the room a few moments after Cloud and Cait Sith. Syra had stayed behind in Kalm with Mrs. Gainsborough, but Vincent still found himself glancing around as if to find her underfoot, his own knee-high shadow. Maybe he wasn't completely comfortable with his unexpected role as the girl's protector, but in the last day or so he had become sort of used to having her in his arms or holding onto the material of his slacks. Without her there, he found himself wondering how she was doing while he was here.  
  
The stop in Wutai didn't take very long. The tough part, getting the materia out from under Godo's quivering nose, had already been done by his skillful daughter and all the remained was to land outside of the town and wait for her to show up.  
  
Once aboard the Highwind, Yuffie gave the materia to Cloud and took up her usual place in the hold. Queasy already, she closed her eyes as the ship lifted into the air and her stomach dropped away. Repressing a small burp, she groaned. Why had she agreed to submit herself to this again?  
  
Life in Wutai had returned to normal in a surprisingly short amount of time, bringing Yuffie too soon back to the brink of death by boredom. Another adventure seemed to be just what the doctor ordered. If only she could tell her guts that. Fortunately, the ride went fairly smoothly and Yuffie was able to keep herself from vomiting all over the machinery of Cid's ship, despite a few close calls. With a creaking sigh she got to her feet as they landed outside of North Corel and began to head, a little unsteadily, for the briefing room. A noise from behind her, however, made her stop in her tracks.  
  
She knew the sound of someone trying to hide in a crowded storage closet. She had been that someone more than once. Slowly, she turned and tip-toed over to a narrow door in the wall of the hold. Who would want to hide on Cid's stinky old Highwind? Maybe it was rats. Huge rats. This thought made Yuffie hesitate for a second, but then she set her face decisively and flung open the door. No one could call her a coward.  
  
She had one hand on her weapon and the other in a defensive position before she realized that the stowaway was no more than a child. As the door opened, a broom and a mop handle fell out and the tiny girl huddled further into a corner of the closet. Yuffie dropped her hands to her sides in surprise. "Eh, where did you come from?"  
  
The girl didn't move. Yuffie put out a hand to touch her shoulder, but, as if she'd sensed the movement, the girl gave a shriek and pushed out from around Yuffie, nearly knocking her over with the suddeness of her retreat.  
  
"Hey! Hey, wait!" Yuffie shouted after her. The girl darted around, looking for an exit, but there seemed to be walls and obstacles everywhere. After a few moments, she just stopped, panting and glancing around. Yuffie took this opportunity to approach her, but before she'd taken three steps the girl whirled around to face her. Her eyes were wide and afraid, but something about them made Yuffie wonder if the girl even saw her.  
  
"Go away!" she shouted suddenly, shutting her eyes and shaking her head. "Go away! Vincent! Vincent!"  
  
Yuffie halted her pursuit, confused. Was she calling for Vincent? "Who are you?" she wondered aloud.  
  
The girl didn't answer, she just ran again and hid in a corner of the hold. Instead of going after her, Yuffie decided to leave the hold to go find the others. She was just coming up to the door when it opened and Tifa came in.  
  
"Cait's here, Yuffie," she said. "Aren't you coming?"  
  
"Um, yeah, but I think we've got a problem."  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
Yuffie pointed into the corner of the room. Tifa gasped. "Oh no! Syra, what are you doing here?" She took a couple of steps toward the trembling girl, but stopped when the child turned eyes on her that were filled with anything but recognition. "Yuffie," she said instead, "will you go and get Vincent?"  
  
"Uh, sure." She spared another glance at the inexplicably frightened girl before exiting the room.  
  
No more than a minute went by before Vincent was striding through the doors and glancing around the hold. At the sudden entrance of another person into the room Syra whipped her head around, but once she saw who it was all of her fear vanished. In a moment, she'd jumped to her feet and started running toward the gunslinger. "Vincent!" she cried out. "Vincent!" Impervious to his frown, she came up and wrapped her arms around one of his legs.  
  
Vincent sighed softly. "Syra, you were going to stay in Kalm."  
  
She shook her head into the material of his pants. "He's gonna find me," she whispered.  
  
"He won't find you in Kalm. You will be safer there. And we will return for you."  
  
Syra's only reply was to grip his knee tighter.  
  
At that moment, Cloud walked in. "What's the hold up here?"  
  
Tifa gestured at their stowaway. "It seems Syra didn't want to be left behind."  
  
"We will have to return her to Kalm," Vincent stated.  
  
Syra glanced up at him and a couple of sudden tears made their way down her cheeks. "No, Vincent!" she protested loudly. "No, no!"  
  
Vincent looked down to meet her eyes. "You will be safer there than you will be with me, Syra. You understand, we are going to Hojo."  
  
She buried her face into his pants. Vincent reached down and gently attempted to detach her, but she fought him for every finger hold until it was evident he wasn't going to give up. With an angry shriek, she released his leg and dashed away, hiding herself in the hold. Vincent gave another long-suffering sigh and followed where she had gone. When he found her, however, huddled behind some crates, she gave another shriek and ran from him, eventually making her way through the doors to the hold as Yuffie entered.  
  
"Whoa, hey!" Yuffie exclaimed, startled, as Syra nearly tripped her and then Vincent brushed her aside. "What's going on?"  
  
Cloud and Tifa had both been ready to take up the pursuit, but Yuffie's appearance seemed to remind them of what they needed to do and they left it up to Vincent to calm the girl down. Cloud ran a hand through his hair. "Well, I guess we'll have to head back to Kalm. There's no way we can take her with us."  
  
Tifa pursed her lips and nodded. She knew it had to be hard for Syra, so afraid and then abandoned by the one who made her feel the safest, but the truth was that she would be safer with Mrs. Gainsborough. If only Vincent could be convinced to stay with her in Kalm, but then they would be out a fighter, and Vincent was the one, besides Reeve, who probably knew Hojo the best out of all of them; that knowledge could come in handy.  
  
Cloud glanced at her and Tifa couldn't help the feeling that he was looking to her for her opinion. Something inside her jumped at that thought. "Kalm's a little out of the way, but I don't think we have any other choice."  
  
Cloud nodded. "Well, let's head up to the deck. We'll have to let Cid know there's been a change, and we still have to hear what Cait has to say. Hopefully this won't take too long." This last part he muttered and it wasn't clear what he was referring to. Tifa took it to mean both things, the trip to Kalm and this chasing around after rumours of Hojo. She hoped none of it would take too long.  
  
  
  
  
Vincent caught up with Syra on the deck and, scooping her unwilling body up into his arms, turned to Cid, who'd been watching the chase with a bemused smile.  
  
"Don't leave until we've returned."  
  
Cid looked like he wanted to ask what the hell Vincent was talking about, but before he could utter a word the dark clothed man had levitated over the wooden rail of the Highwind and down onto the ground below.  
  
As soon as they left the deck, Syra became still in Vincent's arms, watching the world fly by. As they touched down again on the grass outside of North Corel, however, she resumed her squirming and Vincent let her go, knowing she had nowhere to run to. Angry, she raced a few steps from him, but then turned around to face him.  
  
"I'm not going back," she stated and Vincent wondered initially if she meant back to Kalm or back to Hojo.  
  
"We have to take you back to Kalm, Syra," Vincent told her sternly. "We are going to Hojo and it won't be safe for you with me. It's unlikely that I will be able to protect you all of the time."  
  
She turned from him, sulking. Vincent repressed a frustrated sigh, not really happy with the idea of forcing her to comply. He decided to switch tactics. "How did you get onto the Highwind, Syra?"  
  
It was a moment before she turned to him, still pouting. "Like you did," she said sullenly.  
  
"Like I did?"  
  
"Like this." Without it seeming to cost her any effort, Syra glanced up, as if making sure the path was clear, and raised herself a few feet into the air, until she was eye level with Vincent.  
  
Vincent blinked in surprise, though the revelation of another power from her didn't shock him. Jenova cells were what allowed him to levitate, what had allowed Sephiroth the same ability.  
  
Syra returned to the ground and began sulking again. It was obvious she thought nothing about being able to defy gravity and, like the healing of her cut in Mrs. Gainsborough's kitchen, Vincent wondered if she realized that not everyone had these powers. He almost wanted to question her about it, but there wasn't the time right now. He didn't even have the time to reason with her. He doubted she would willingly give up her position. With a sigh, he stepped toward her. "Syra, I don't want you to follow us again. You need to stay in Kalm until we return for you. It will be safer for you there." He paused. "I promise."  
  
When had been the last time he'd promised anything? Oh, yes, he remembered now... The promise to Lucrecia...  
  
Syra was looking up at him with tears in her eyes. "I don't want to go back," she told him, her arms falling helplessly to her sides. "He'll find me. Don't...don't leave me there."  
  
Her words stirred some old memories and Vincent felt an ache begin in his chest.  
  
...don't leave me, Vincent...don't let him hurt the baby...promise me...  
  
...I...can't...  
  
...please...  
  
...I promise...  
  
When Vincent didn't reply immediately, Syra seemed to take it to mean that he was reconisidering. Quickly, she ran and grabbed ahold of his leg. "Don't leave me," she repeated.  
  
Vincent looked into her eyes and felt his resolve shake. What would have happened, long ago, if he'd quit listening to his head and had listened to his heart? What if he'd taken her away, taken the baby, protected them instead of turning bitter toward her and doing his duty? Things might've been so different.  
  
"Hey! Hey, Vince!"  
  
Vincent's head snapped up to look at Cid, a far away figure on the deck of the Highwind.  
  
"You comin'?"  
  
Vincent turned back to Syra. "It's time to go," he told her.  
  
"Back?" she asked him.  
  
He hesitated. "No. I won't take you back. But you must stay close to me."  
  
That didn't seem to be a problem with her. She buried her head in his pant leg and held his knee tighter. In a moment, Vincent urged her to let go and she relinquished her hold, doing her best to clamber into his arms. He allowed her to and then levitated back onto the airship where the others were waiting for them. 


	6. Found and Lost

The hunched figure walked slowly, sometimes with his hands behind his back as if he was deep in thought, sometimes using them to gesticulate as if he was speaking to someone. North Corel saw its share of strangers due to the location of the Gold Saucer, so no one paid him much mind. At one time, he had worn glasses, but they were gone now, lost on his travels. His graying hair, once pulled back into an impeccably severe pony-tail, was now free to the wind and tangled beyond repair. It was not surprising that no one recognized him. Hojo had become a man lost to memory, to history, to his own mind.  
  
"No, no, everything is going wrong," he mumbled to himself suddenly. "Where is that thing? Where is the girl? It was supposed to meet me there."  
  
"You shouldn't have trusted that creature," a second voice said, this one deeper, angrier, though still coming out of Hojo's mouth. "You should have let me do it. This is your fault."  
  
"Yes, but how was I to know?" Hojo spat, bringing his hands up to his head in frustration. "The wrong girl, the wrong girl. What do I do now?"  
  
"What else can we do? We'll have to wait. Serves you right, you fool. She could be dead, or have fallen into the wrong hands."  
  
"Damn! Dammit!" He clutched at his hair. And then he seemed to relax. "Maybe the other girl. She's young. Maybe I can start again with her."  
  
The other voice growled. "You promised me I could feed on her."  
  
Hojo scowled. "I'll find you something else. Besides, I hate all of the blood. It makes me so sick. Wait until I'm not working so hard."  
  
"I don't want to wait any longer!"  
  
Hojo coughed suddenly and clutched at his throat. "All right, all right, you don't have to shout. I don't want to lose my voice. Just wait a couple of days more, until I know whether I need to start again. Then you'll feed. You can drain the whole town if you like."  
  
There was a silence. And then a sullen, "Agreed. I don't have a choice but to agree."  
  
"That's right, you don't. So just cooperate, and soon the world will be at your disposal. If we find the girl, she only needs one more injection before she's ready."  
  
"But what if you don't find the girl? What then?" the voice persisted.  
  
"Feeding is all you think about," Hojo muttered. "In that case, I will find you something, like I said."  
  
"A young woman?" The voice had a decidedly lusty tone.  
  
Hojo rolled his eyes. "Whatever you want."  
  
"Don't begrudge me a little fun. It is our body, you will enjoy it too."  
  
Hojo remained silent.  
  
The second voice laughed suddenly. "You may deny it, but some part of you is still in love with her."  
  
Hojo threw out an arm as if to strike at someone. "I told you not to speak about her!"  
  
The voice laughed again. "Your agitation proves it. I didn't even mention her name."  
  
Hojo didn't reply to the obvious bait. It wasn't worth it. Passed North Corel, he was now over the bridge and skirting the tracks. After a few moments, he glanced over his shoulder to make sure he was alone.  
  
A hidden door in the man-made hill opened to the push of a proper panel and then he was through. It closed behind him and left no trace that anyone would be able to detect.  
  
Once the man who had been Shinra's top scientist was out of sight, two boys got up from where they'd been hiding in the guard house. This area, rampant with abandoned railroad tracks, was one of their favourite places to play, and they'd never seen anyone come here before. They glanced at each other as if to confirm that they had both seen the strange man, and then they scampered back home.  
  
  
  
  
  
Cait had had a little luck questioning Dio. With the proper incentive, the greasy owner of the Gold Saucer had been willing to talk. One of his staff, he said, had claimed to have seen Hojo. By the time others had arrived to investigate, however, Hojo had disappeared, and only the young lady who had seen him had been sure it had been the scientist. Cait questioned the tram operator as well, but he hadn't been able to recall anyone fitting Hojo's description. Admittedly, however, he saw a lot of people in his job and was as likely as not to forget most of them.  
  
Cait finished his report and glanced from Cloud to the others. They were in the conference room of the Highwind, which Cid had parked a few hundred meters from North Corel.  
  
Cloud was frowning. "One person, and no observers to tell us where he might have gone, assuming it really was him."  
  
"What about the people of North Corel?" Tifa asked. "Someone else might have seen him."  
  
He glanced at her. "We should probably go down and ask around." He stood from his chair. "We'll split up into three groups. Barret, you're with me. You know this place better than anyone. Tifa, you lead the second group. Vincent..." He trailed off for a moment and then, looking intently at the gunslinger, chewed his lip. "What about Syra, Vincent?"  
  
Vincent was standing by one of the windows with Syra sitting at his feet, one hand clutching a portion of his pants. She had looked up at the mention of her name.  
  
"I will take her with me," Vincent intoned.  
  
"You sure?"  
  
Vincent glanced at the girl, and she stared back at him. "I think she would find a way to follow me notwithstanding any attempts to leave her behind."  
  
A couple of the others chuckled. Cloud smiled wryly. "All right, then. Red, you're with Vincent, and so are you, Yuffie. Now, let's mosey."  
  
Cid scowled at him. "Damn you and yer 'mosey'. Say it like a man." He cupped his hands around his mouth. "Move out, troops. Let's go. Move your asses."  
  
Aeris slapped him in the arm. "Cid, watch your language. Syra might start picking it up."  
  
"Yeah, and stop smoking, too," Yuffie chimed in. "You might give her cancer."  
  
Vincent gestured Syra to her feet and then ushered her in front of him. They were the last to leave the room and, before they headed off the ship with the others, Vincent crouched in front of her on the deck.  
  
"Syra, stay close to me. I don't want you to get lost."  
  
She nodded solemnly. Assured, Vincent picked her up before levitating over the railing and then descending to the ground.  
  
North Corel was just as Barret had left it, squalid and ramshackle, a smudge of dirt roads and decaying shelters surrounded on all sides by grass meadows, and neighbour to the magnanimous Gold Saucer. At the outskirts, the group split up into three and began to approach the inhabitants and to knock on flimsy doors.  
  
At the first 'house' they came across, Vincent rapped his knuckles on a rotting board of the doorjamb (since the door was no more than a curtain of holey cloth) and waited until an untidy-looking woman peered out. "Whad'ya want?" she demanded crisply.  
  
"We are looking for a man who may have passed through North Corel, a scientist, likely wearing a long white coat. Have you seen anyone matching this description?"  
  
The woman studied them carefully and licked at her lips. "No, I ain't seen anyone. Now jus' leave us alone." The curtain fell back into place. With a sigh, Vincent prepared to knock again, but Yuffie grabbed his wrist.  
  
"Oh, just leave it! She's not gonna tell us anything! You probably scared her with your goth-vampire look. Just let me handle the next one." They headed to the next shelter and Yuffie knocked sprightly. In a moment, a older man who looked like he'd recently been into the bottle answer. Yuffie smiled engagingly. "Hey, old father. Seen any strangers come through here lately?"  
  
The man squinted at them and gave a creaking chuckle. "Seen a lot o' strange folks, but yer the strangest I seen so far."  
  
Yuffie rolled her eyes. "We're looking for a guy dressed in a lab coat who probably came through here. Have you seen him or not?"  
  
The man rubbed a dirty hand over his whiskery chin. "I mighta. Would refresh my mem'ry if ya made it worth my while." He rubbed his fingers together.  
  
Yuffie turned to Vincent. "Do you have any gil on you?"  
  
Vincent sighed and dug into a pocket. He handed the coins to Yuffie and she handed them to the man. "There. Now do you remember anything?"  
  
The man took his time counting the gil, his eyes gleaming, and then pocketed it quickly. "Thought I saw some'n this mornin'. Fellow came through, muttering to hisself, seemed angry. Looked crazy."  
  
"Was he wearing a white coat?" Yuffie persisted.  
  
"Yeah, yeah," the man answered, scratching at a cheek with grimy fingernails.  
  
"Well, where was he headed?"  
  
The man looked thoughtful. "Don't quite remember..."  
  
Yuffie huffed angrily. "Look, you tell us, or I'll make you remember. This weapon on my back isn't a toy!"  
  
The man eyed the Conformer warily and then seemed to judge the sincerity in Yuffie's eyes. He swallowed visibly. "Saw him head off that-a-way." He pointed down the length of the rusted railway tracks. "Can't tell you nothin' else. Now go an' leave an old man in peace, will ya?" He shut the door on them.  
  
Yuffie smiled cockily at Vincent and Red. "Piece of cake. You just have to know how to talk to these people."  
  
Red shook his shaggy head. "I would say that Vincent's gil did a good bit of the talking for you."  
  
Yuffie scoffed. "You underestimate the charms of a pretty girl on an old man."  
  
"Yes, I'm sure he found your threat very charming."  
  
Yuffie was about to retort when she noticed Vincent glancing around them. She did so, too, and noticed what was missing. "Where's the girl?" she asked.  
  
Vincent stepped away from them and started his search, listening carefully for her voice or her particular shuffling footsteps. Something must have attracted her attention because he was sure he would have noticed if she had been abducted. Thoroughly scanning the area as he was, he found her within a few minutes. She was watching the play of a couple of boys beside the well. Their toys were nothing more than sticks strapped together with a few pieces of fraying cord, but they were using them as shovel-replacements to dig in the dirt, and Syra seemed fascinated. One of the boys was talking to her, but Vincent couldn't make out the words. Then he stood and beckoned to her. The other boy stood also and they started walking away. Syra hesitated, but then followed.  
  
Vincent caught up with them quickly. "Syra," he said sternly, "I told you to stay close to me."  
  
She glanced at him but showed no acknowledgment of his words. "They want to take me there."  
  
Vincent felt curious in spite of himself. "Where?"  
  
Yuffie and Red appeared at that moment. "You found her," Yuffie said unnecessarily.  
  
Syra looked at them and took a step closer to Vincent. "A secret place," she nearly whispered. "He's there."  
  
A prickle of tension crossed the nape of Vincent's neck. "Who is?"  
  
She put out both hands to grip his pants and buried her face in the material. "Him." Her voice was muffled, but Vincent could still hear her. "They said he wouldn't see me."  
  
Vincent glanced at his two companions. "Please get Cloud and the others."  
  
Yuffie raised an eyebrow. "Why? Because she's scared?"  
  
Vincent glared at her. "Do it."  
  
She raised her hands. "All right, all right. Don't blow a gasket. C'mon, Red." They walked off until they were out of sight. Vincent took the opportunity to talk again to Syra.  
  
"Who is there?" he asked her. "Is it Hojo?"  
  
She shivered suddenly. "Don't let him get me. He might see." She lifted her face, streaked now with a few tears that had fallen from large, frightened eyes. "He found me one time. I was hiding. He said..." She drew a small breath and hiccuped. "He said he would always *hiccup* find me."  
  
Vincent was suddenly aware of eyes watching them. He glanced up and saw the two boys peering at them from around the corner of a building. Slowly, he stood and beckoned to them. They stood staring at him for a few moments more before complying, they're faces drawn and wary. It reminded Vincent of the first time he'd seen Syra.  
  
"You've seen the man in a white coat," he stated for them. One of the boys nodded. "Where is he?"  
  
The boy pointed down the tracks. "He lives in the metal hill, sir," he reported in a small voice. "We saw him go in there."  
  
Vincent turned to Syra. "Stay here and wait for the others, Syra," he ordered firmly. "I will be back very soon." He turned back to the boys. "Show me where."  
  
Syra clutched at his pants. "Don't go! He'll find me!"  
  
Vincent sighed. "Syra, you will be fine here. The others will not be long."  
  
She began to cry again, whimpering with something close to terror. With another resignated sigh, he scooped her into his arms. She immediately latched her arms around his neck and tucked her face into his shoulder. "Show me," he ordered the boys again.  
  
They led him across the tracks to a place Vincent remembered from the day they'd had to stop a runaway train from plowing into North Corel. And then they stopped at a section of the tracks framed on one side by a man-made hill.  
  
"Here," one of the boys said. "This is where the door is."  
  
Vincent inspected the metal carefully. "I see no evidence of one."  
  
The boy started pushing on some of the tiles. "He pressed something. It made the door open." His friend joined him in shoving at the unyielding metal.  
  
Vincent watched them for a moment before touching some of the panels around him. It seemed a hopeless task, however. What if there was no release for the door? It may only have looked that way to the boys. Or perhaps it could be activated only by Hojo himself?  
  
Footsteps behind him made him turn to see the others approaching along the tracks. He halted his efforts. Syra remained where she was, burrowed in his shoulder, but the two boys glanced up as the strangers arrived.  
  
Cloud looked a little put out. "What's going on? You should have waited for us. We were supposed to meet together before heading off again."  
  
Vincent ignored the speech. "These boys claim to have seen Hojo open a door in this hill."  
  
Cloud stared at him for a few seconds before letting his shoulders sag. "You know, if it was anyone but you, Vincent, I'd probably tell them they were being irrational. What makes you think these boys are telling the truth?" One of the boys made a face at him. "And I don't have to tell you that this is a pretty unlikely place for a scientist to be."  
  
"Hojo is not a conventional scientist," Vincent asserted. "I can believe that he had another laboratory built in the event that his first one was destroyed. I do not see that this is a place any more likely or unlikely than any other."  
  
While Cloud was considering, Barret spoke. "But there ain't any power source here."  
  
"Generators," Red answered for Vincent. "He probably had them."  
  
"But why here?" Barret persisted.  
  
"Well, he was seen in the Gold Saucer," Aeris pointed out. "Maybe there's some advantage to being close to it."  
  
Cloud seemed ready with another protest, but then he sighed. "All right," he conceded, "let's say for now that he has another lab and that it is here. Where's the door? How do we get in?"  
  
Vincent glanced back at the curving metal. "That is what I'm trying to discover," he told them, and began to press again on the hill's surface. "I have been made to believe there is a release somewhere."  
  
Barret growled suddenly. "But this could take forever! We gotta find Marlene now!"  
  
"Then let's all try," Tifa said. "It'll take less time that way." Quickly, they all approached the wall and started pushing on the tiles. The boys who had shown Vincent the way made a hasty exit, seemingly expecting trouble.  
  
In the end, it was deceptively easy. Hojo was not a very tall man, average at best, and the way he hunched took a few inches off of that. Pressing at her own height, Yuffie was the one to run across the correct panel. It gave way under her hands and she gave a small, startled exclamation. In a second, a door whooshed open to her left and she jumped away.  
  
They waited, but nothing happened. No one came out, and they could hear the electronic hum of some type of technology. Being the closest, Yuffie peered in. "It's a tunnel," she whispered. "There're lights in the ceiling."  
  
The others crowded around to look in. Cid let out a low whistle. "Guess you were right, Vince."  
  
Cloud backed up and gestured for them to huddle around him. "Okay, this may be Hojo's lab. For all we know, he could already know we're here and this could be some kind of trap, so only a few of us are going to go in. The rest of you wait out here, unless we say otherwise over the PHS." Suddenly, he sighed and ran a hand through his hair, looking weary. Unnoticed to the rest of the group, Tifa stepped up behind him and gripped his hand in hers for a second, wanting to reassure him somehow. He returned the pressure of her fingers and then took a breath. "We'll split up the materia. Everyone still has their weapons, right?" Everyone nodded. Cloud smiled grimly. "I guess this shows you can never stop being ready for the unexpected." He pointed at Tifa, Barret, Aeris and then his hand wavered a moment. He dropped it to his side.  
  
"Vincent, I want you to come with us since this is your hunch, but not if you're going to have to bring Syra with you. If Hojo is in here, it'll be too dangerous for her."  
  
Vincent paused a moment before nodding. And then he gestured at Yuffie. "Please, may I see the materia?"  
  
Yuffie didn't hesitate long before handing it over. In a moment, he'd picked an orb out and, fixing it into the barrel of the Death Penalty, cast a spell on Syra. She went suddenly limp. "She should be asleep until we return," he said and, gently removing her from his shoulder, held her out to Yuffie.  
  
Yuffie scoffed. "I'm not a damn babysitter!"  
  
Cloud sighed. "Just take her. We won't be gone long."  
  
Grumbling a little, Yuffie took the girl and flopped her over her shoulder.  
  
It took them a few minutes to sort the materia, each looking to equip a Cure, a Revive, a couple of attack spells, a summon, and at least one All. Eventually, the four of them were ready and, with a few last minute orders from Cloud, they headed into the tunnel. Everyone but Vincent jumped as the door abruptly slid shut behind them.  
  
"I wonder if we'll have to bang on it to get them to open it again," Tifa mused.  
  
"Let's not worry about that now," Cloud said. "Let's just find out if he's in here."  
  
Vincent took the rear as they started forward, the Death Penalty at the ready in his right hand. Part of his mind, as it had been with some of the battles (most recently the battle with Sephiroth) was questioning whether he would be facing death on this mission. The thought didn't frighten him; there had been times in his life where he had prayed constantly for death. But he did feel a sense of regret in that, if he didn't return, Syra would lose her protector and he would be unable to visit Lucrecia as he'd said, thereby breaking his word to her again. There was nothing for it, however. If Hojo was alive, he had to be stopped. There was no telling how many lives would be harmed if he remained at large. Vincent's regret faded and was replaced by that all-encompassing sense of purpose that had fueled him in Avalanche until they had killed Hojo. Or thought they'd killed him.  
  
There was something comforting about having purpose. All things could be sacrificed for a purpose. True purpose didn't allow for any regret.  
  
With a mind clear of everything but the thought of avenging himself, Lucrecia, and Syra with Hojo's death, Vincent followed the others with an expression that was nothing if not grimly determined.  
  
  
  
  
It wasn't long before Syra woke, dizzy and somewhat nauseated, leaning against someone's small, bony shoulder.  
  
Vincent...?  
  
She couldn't feel him, couldn't sense him. There was skin under her cheek, and the contact brought her into awareness of emotions that were not Vincent's. A confusing, jumbled mix of anger and fear and irritation. Uncomfortable, Syra squirmed.  
  
It had always been that way with other people. Skin to skin contact brought her into an awareness of what they were feeling. Vincent was the only one, so far, who's emotions didn't intruded on her own. They were stable, quiet, settling. Leaning against him with her hands around his neck, she could feel secure in the knowledge that he felt responsible for her, that he would protect her, that he even cared for her. But this person felt none of these things. If anything, she considered Syra a burden...  
  
As Syra began to move around, the girl (Vincent had called her Yuffie) put her on the ground. She was frowning. "Great, she's awake already!"  
  
Syra glanced nervously at the people around her. "Vincent?"  
  
The red beast paced up to her and there was suddenly a warm muzzle against her cheek. Comfort, the creature's desire to reassure, flooded into her at the touch and she calmed a little. "Vincent isn't here, little one. He thought it would be safer for you to remain with us."  
  
"He isn't here?" She trembled, feeling suddenly very vulnerable as she had in the house in Kalm. She didn't want to be anywhere he wasn't, no matter how safe he claimed she would be.  
  
Yuffie crossed her arms over her chest. "Somebody else can take her. I don't want to carry her anymore."  
  
The tall, dark-skinned man Vincent had called Barret stepped forward. "I'll take 'er." He leaned down to scoop her up in his large arms. She resisted at first, but then sensed that he wasn't going to hurt her. The man, the one who had given her those needles and put those marks on her arm, was always feeling bad, mean things. She'd hated it when he'd touched her. But she could feel that this man had a rough kind of compassion, and there was a deep love in him, not far from the surface, for another little girl, one not much older than herself. Syra basked in the feeling, though it was not directed at her, and settled against the man's shoulder.  
  
The group of people talked around her and Syra listened to it buzzing in the background. Barret was feeling some anger and some fear, but she didn't care to understand why. She just concentrated on trying to separate out the good feelings so she could focus on them. It was while she was doing this that she felt the first call.  
  
It wasn't very firm, but there was such a longing in it that she couldn't keep herself from sitting up. It came again a few moments later, and she knew it was searching for the sense of Vincent. Almost in words, it was calling out:  
  
...Vincent? Where are you? You said you would come...  
  
There was such a pull to go to that 'voice'. Syra didn't know how the pull was happening, but if she'd been able to describe it she would have said that her very genes felt drawn toward the source. She had heard a call like this once before, but that time the voice had been grieving for someone named Sephiroth. She hadn't felt pulled by it that time. She hadn't know who Sephiroth was.  
  
But she knew Vincent. The urge to go was getting louder, stronger, and she could no longer resist it. She had to go.  
  
  
  
  
Barret couldn't explain later what happened. One second, he was holding Syra against his shoulder. The next, she was floating in the air nearly two meters above him. And then, without warning, she began to soar off southward.  
  
The group of them watched in stupefaction for a few moments before trying to run after her, shouting her name. But it was no use. She was too fast and she either couldn't hear them or was ignoring them.  
  
Yuffie came to a halt beside Barret, who was doubled over with a hand on his knee, gasping.  
  
"Where the hell is she going?" she asked of no one in particular.  
  
Barret was shaking his head. "God," he groaned. "Vince's gonna kill me."  
  
  
  
Sorry this chapter took so long! People are still reading, right :S 


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